You Hold Me in the Dark
by lilbreck
Summary: Caroline and company work to lure out Silas' followers, locate his tomb, and hopefully end him and the threat he represents. (Sequel to Leave a Light On, pair: Caroline/Klaus and Elijah/Liz)
1. New World in My view

She was technically supposed to be keeping an eye on Ray until Jules and Brady could get there, but just staring at him would have drawn too much attention. At least, that was what she was going to tell Klaus if he happened to show up while she was on the phone with Elena. Werewolf hunting trip or no, she wasn't going to go without wishing her friend a happy birthday – it was bad enough that she hadn't really done anything for her friend's birthdays over the past year because of the whole Klaus and Silas situation going on.

When Elena picked up she skipped over hello, ignored any pleasantries and went straight into crisis mode.

"Caroline, are you okay? Do you need us to come get you?"

While part of her was very touched that her friend was worried about her, she was also kind of offended that she would assume Caroline would only be calling for help. Before she could get really worked up over it though, Bonnie's voice interrupted.

"I'm sure if there was something wrong Caroline would have said something in one of the daily texts she's been sending us for the past two weeks. Right, Caroline?"

While she was still very aware of Ray sitting at the bar making friendly conversation with the bartender, Caroline let herself be pulled into the easy and familiar rhythm of the conversation between her and her friends back home. She could almost pretend she was back in Mystic Falls instead of a bar in Tennessee.

"Do you have me on speaker? Is the whole town listening in and waiting to hear how my summer vacation is going so far?"

Allowing the subject to change, Elena's voice turned pouty as she replied, "No, it's just me and Bonnie. She's keeping me here and distracted while Stefan's putting together the birthday party _I_ never agreed to."

"You were never going to agree to a big party, Elena. That's why I had to ask Stefan to put it together. It's not every year you turn eighteen, so you should make it memorable. Oh, speaking of which…"

Bonnie's laughing voice cut her off, "He's following your plans down to the last detail. He's been texting me whenever he has questions about what you mean."

She could feel herself getting ready to defend her need to micromanage nearly everything in her life. Bonnie apparently knew her well enough though, to step in and calm her defensiveness. She couldn't remember Bonnie knowing her this well before but she really appreciated it now.

"I'm pretty sure we would be an absolute mess without you, Caroline."

"You'd make it through. Everything would be a lot less _fun_ , but you'd still make it through."

Her response got the laugh she was after and Caroline enjoyed the warm feeling that spread through her at the sound. The two quickly took the time to let her in on all that she had been missing in the couple of weeks she'd been gone. Bonnie, in particular, seemed like she needed to vent.

"And let me tell you, I've never been happier that Pearl and Anna are here. They've been basically acting as a buffer between the Mikaelsons and the rest of us. Finn is alright. He's basically not around much and when he is he's just kind of… there. Kol and Rebekah are absolute nightmares. I can't count the number of times I've had to use my magic to stop Kol from, well, being Kol. I'm also pretty sure that Elena is ready to try and rip out Rebekah's hair the next time she makes some innuendo while talking with Stefan."

Elena spluttered at that while Caroline complained about the fact that _she_ would have the luxury of a buffer with both Rebekah and Kol. She pouted at first as Bonnie and Elena laughed at that, but soon she was joining in. Too soon, the laughter faded and she could almost feel the tension from the other side as both of her friends held back something they were obviously wanting to say.

"Okay, you two. Out with it. What's ruining the happy moment?"

Surprisingly, it was Elena who spoke up.

"We don't want to worry you, Caroline. Lord knows you've got a lot to deal with right now, but Elijah has been spending a lot of time over at your house the past week or so. Like, every day."

Caroline hadn't realized how much she had tensed up until she felt her whole body relax. Her mother had already let her know that Elijah had been coming around and reassured her that it wasn't anything she couldn't handle. While she knew her friends were worried about her mother, she still couldn't resist teasing them a bit.

"I don't know if I should be touched or disturbed that you two are spying on my mom so closely, Elena."

She had delivered the statement in a serious tone of voice but quickly lost the fight against a giggle when she heard Elena and Bonnie floundering to explain themselves. Still aware that she wasn't exactly in a private setting, Caroline made explanation as vague as she could.

"It's okay, you guys. I already knew about it. Apparently, his family hasn't been very good with communication, so my mom's been keeping him up to date. Nothing to worry about."

That explanation would have to do because, just as she could hear Elena and Bonnie begin to ask more questions, she caught sight of Jules and Brady walking into the bar. The latter quickly caught sight of her and Caroline couldn't stop herself from rolling her eyes at the scowl he directed at her. Yeah, she had a feeling they were never going to be friends and only _part_ of that was because she couldn't forget that he was capable of torturing her and enjoying it.

"Okay, girls, break time's over. I've got to get back to work."

As they said their goodbyes and ended the call, Caroline watched the scene unfolding across the bar. Jules and Brady approached Ray and sat next to him on either side. Almost immediately she could see his body stiffen. She had warned Klaus that this wasn't the right way to start things off and that he'd be able to tell that they weren't regular werewolves. She was already halfway to them when Ray practically launched himself from the bar stool and started walking away from the pair. Abandoning any pretense, she sped forward to stand in front of him with her hands held up in what she hoped would be a calming manner.

"Please don't leave yet."

She could see the building panic as he looked between her and the two hybrids joining them. "You're vampires."

She couldn't tell if he was expecting help from the people in the bar or if he was thinking of trying to warn them to run, but she needed to calm him down quickly. She knew she had a limited time before Klaus lost what little patience he had and came barging in.

"Yes, I'm a vampire, and I've compelled everyone in here not to interfere. I realize how shady that sounds, but we're not here to hurt you. We just want to sit down and talk."

When he continued to side eye Jules and Brady, Caroline quickly realized that he could sense their hostility. Although he appeared to assume it was directed at him, she knew better. Dropping her hands, she gave a huff of frustration over the hybrids interference.

"Okay, that aggression thing you're getting from them is not because they're going to hurt you. It's because they want to hurt _me_. It's a gut reaction to millennia of hatred across the species divide that we're still trying to overcome."

The latter seemed to catch his attention and he looked at her confused as he asked, "You guys aren't vampires?"

Caroline could now see a way to steer the conversation the way she wanted it to go. With a calming breath and a smile that she hoped was friendly, she shook her head.

"I am. _They_ were werewolves until very recently. Now they're something else. That's actually why I'm here to talk to you."

Caroline gestured to the table and, after Ray reluctantly walked over to sit down, turned to Jules and Brady. She smiled at them both and then looked to the bar in what she felt was an obvious hint. Jules, for her part, simply rolled her eyes and went to sit back down. Brady crossed his arms over his chest and glared at her. Refusing to let him bait her or intimidate her, she stared back at him silently, smile still in place. Finally, with one final low growl, he turned around and went to join his alpha. The pleasant expression dropping from her face, Caroline then made her way over to join Ray at the table.

"Sorry about that. They really don't like me very much."

While he still looked nervous, Ray shot her a confused and disbelieving look.

"If they don't like you, then why are they here with you?"

Doing her best to turn on the charm and put him at ease, Caroline answered "I'm a means to an end. Kind of a middleman, really. They want their pack and their kind protected, and I can help them do that."

At this, Caroline paused and flagged down a passing waitress. When she asked her for two beers and didn't get carded, Ray's eyebrows shot up. His tone was slightly accusing when he said, "I've never known Jessie to not card someone who she didn't know."

Caroline fought down a small twinge of guilt and tried for nonchalant.

"Compelling her to not feel the need to ask for ID was shady but not evil."

As much as Caroline hated being laughed at, she did feel a small thrill of victory at the small smile that Ray apparently couldn't stop. She took a moment to gather her thoughts as the waitress, who she totally didn't feel guilty for compelling, left two bottles and took the money that Caroline handed her.

She pretended not to hear him ruefully murmur, "At least you didn't steal the beer."

"Werewolves, as I'm sure I don't need to tell you, are an endangered species. I'm convinced that the only reason they aren't extinct is because most vampires don't think you're real. Which, in my opinion, is extremely stupid. Hello, we're vampires! Who knows what else is out there." At this, Caroline paused and couldn't help but voice her next thought out loud. "When I get a chance to take a vacation, I should try and find out if mermaids are real."

She was brought out of her off-topic ramblings by Ray's contemptuous snort.

"Mermaids are just myths."

A part of Caroline wanted to engage in a long debate with him about myths usually having some basis in truth and about how there were still so many undiscovered creatures in the world. However, she just settled for a bland stare as she replied "Said the werewolf to the vampire in a bar in Tennessee."

Caroline took a drink of her beer as Ray seemed to struggle with a comeback. When he finally appeared to give up, she continued.

"Jules and Brady were regular werewolves when I first met them. Now they're hybrids. Specifically, they're werewolf vampire hybrids. They're harder to kill than werewolves, their bites kills vampires quicker without having to transform fully, they have the potential to live forever and are super strong like vampires, and they don't have any pesky issues with the sun. More importantly to them _and_ you I think, they have complete control over their transformation."

Ray sat in stunned silence for a moment and then stuttered out, "How?"

With a small, rueful smile Caroline answered, "There's only one way, and it comes with strings."

As if summoned by her answer, the door opened and Klaus came strutting in with Maddox following closely behind. His grin told her he was unrepentant when he spotted them and then made his way toward their table. Caroline had to quell the urge to snap at him. For what seemed the millionth time, she had to remind herself that this wasn't the same Klaus who was in love with her and would take all her controlling ways with an indulgent smile.

"You were supposed to wait until I called you."

Some of her frustration may have leaked into her voice. However, he just smiled in a way she was convinced he thought was charming. It wasn't.

"I got bored, sweetheart. You know I don't do well with boredom."

He then took a seat at the table with them, lounging carelessly as if he didn't have a worry in the world. Maddox did a fair impersonation of him in the seat to the other side of her. After flagging down the waitress, Klaus gestured for her to continue. Caroline again barely managed not to snap at him as he asked Jessie for a drink. When she looked back at Ray, she could see he was eyeing Klaus warily. This was why she wanted to get everything out in the open before Klaus ever showed up.

"As I was saying, there's only one way," at this, she gestured to Klaus. "And it comes with strings."

Klaus made as if to join the conversation, but Caroline's none-too-subtle cough had him leaning back with a mockingly apologetic expression on his face. His attention was quickly caught by the arrival of his drink, and Caroline continued her explanation to Ray.

"We only need a small number of your pack, perhaps six. Half of them will stay with you, the other half will leave with us." When Ray looked about to angrily object, Caroline continued over him. "We're not doing this out of the goodness of our hearts because we feel so bad that your species is essentially dying out. Nothing comes for free in this world, but we're asking for volunteers, not slaves."

Ray didn't look all that convinced and Caroline had to fight against the knot of panic forming in her stomach. Taking a deep breath and leaning in, she brought out her most convincing argument.

"Imagine it. You and your pack will no longer have to fear being discovered by vampires. You won't have to wait until the full moon comes around to strike back at them, hoping they're still around and haven't killed off too many of your friends and family. You'll have protectors that you can trust with the life of your pack because they _are_ pack."

He seemed torn. It was obvious he was reluctant to trust Caroline, but she could also see how tempting the thought of safety for his pack was.

"I can't make this decision. All I can do is talk to my alpha. If she even considers it, she'll want to talk to you herself."

Klaus looked less than pleased but kept silent as Ray wrote down Caroline's number and promised to plead their case and get back to them as soon as possible. As soon as Ray walked out of the bar, however, he broke that silence.

"What's to keep good old Ray from simply hiding out until he believes we've left the area and he's safe?"

Something in his expression told Caroline that he already suspected the answer and was only waiting on her to confirm it. Maddox looked curious but unconcerned, which only confirmed a suspicion she had.

"You of all people know what it's like to have to hide from something when, by all rights, you should be powerful enough to not have to hide from anything. Freedom from the fear and secrecy will make sure he talks to his alpha. Besides, it's not like you didn't have Maddox put a magical lo-jack on him."

Klaus looked as if she'd done something he had completely expected and yet still made him proud. Sometimes he made it hard to separate him in her mind from the Klaus she once knew.

Over the next eight days that became a bit of an issue as they waited to hear if Paige, Ray's alpha, would talk to them. Caroline was convinced that the only reason Klaus didn't try to hunt down the pack in that time was because Ray called them daily to keep them updated. Maybe he had caught wind of Klaus' reputation as an impatient creature with a ruthless temper.

It was also possible that his new hobby of harassing her kept him from getting too bored with waiting. He didn't consider it harassment and went overboard pretending to be offended when she confronted him. He said he was simply getting to know her.

It became something other than mere harassment, however, during the most recent of his 'getting to know you' sessions when she had told him that a dead witch had bonded part of her soul to Caroline and that that was the reason for the witchy feeling Maddox sensed from her. He didn't look very surprised and Caroline asked why. That's when he said that even he was drawn to her light and he could understand someone who loved her wanting to protect her even after death.

And suddenly Caroline had been reminded that, for all his strength, ruthlessness, and iron will, this was the most dangerous part of Klaus for her. He could make her feel like she was something truly amazing, like the world ceased to exist for him when they talked. For a young woman who, she could admit, if only to herself, was insecure and starved for validation, that could become something very addicting. That was why she had to fight the pull she felt toward him; because if she ever let herself fully experience being the center of his attention, she was afraid of what she would do to stay there.

Caroline was close to giving into that pull after a few days of Klaus 'testing' out her ability to sense other supernatural creatures. In all honesty, he barely bothered to hide the fact that it was a series of excuses to have as much physical contact with her as possible and she didn't bother to hide the fact that she saw right through him. It was a dangerous sort of flirtation that could have led to something she might have regretted had Ray not finally called to let them know that Paige would talk to them.

The negotiation went rather smoothly –they already had pack members who were willing to turn and stay as well as members that were willing to turn and leave with Klaus. Caroline would have dearly loved to know what Ray said to convince them because he didn't strike her as a very persuasive person. Not to mention that everyone was eying Klaus, Jules, and Brady with more than a bit of wariness. Before Paige could hand off members of her pack to be turned, however, there was one more thing they needed to talk about.

"Klaus and I need to talk to you. Alone."

It was obvious by the low growls and spike in tension throughout the room that the pack did not like that one bit. Having expected that –and even talked about it beforehand with Klaus –Caroline quickly said it could just be she and Paige. While the pack members still didn't seem to like it, their alpha agreed. They made to follow, but it only took a quick word from Paige to stop them in their tracks. Caroline could see there was a reason she was the alpha.

"There's something we haven't told you about becoming a hybrid. When they're turned, there will be a sire-bond in place." Caroline could see rage quickly building in Paige's eyes –she obviously knew what a sire-bond meant – and rushed to reassure her. "We're going to help them break it before we even leave here. But no one else, including the rest of your pack, can know about them breaking it.

"There's a... cult, that's going to want to use them for a sacrifice. They're going to try and get the hybrids to turn on Klaus so that he will slaughter them all. If everyone who could know about the sire-bond believes the hybrids are still bound, then they'll use that to try and get them killed. Klaus is aware of this, and we can use it to trap the members of this cult while not actually risking the hybrids."

Apparently, whatever good will Ray had planted with his alpha was not exhausted because she looked pacified by Caroline's words. She did ask, though, "Why are you bothering to tell me this now?"

The grin Caroline sent her way was just a little bit guilty. "I'm hoping that you'll get in touch with other alphas, let them know about the deal you've made, see if they're willing to make the same one to protect their packs. Of course, I'm asking that you only tell them about breaking the bond if you trust them to tell no one else. We're not even planning on telling the chosen werewolves until after they've turned."

Paige was silent for a moment, but agreed to see what she could do. She also promised to tell no one about what had been said. They joined the others as plans were made for both turning the chosen werewolves into hybrids – it seemed the pack had decided it deserved a bit of pomp and circumstance – as well as for the 'training' Klaus had said they'd all need to undergo in order to fully control their transformations. Of course, Paige was now aware this would, in reality, be them breaking their bonds and would be done away from the rest of the pack.

That night, back at the surprisingly upscale hotel Klaus had found for them, she told him and Maddox that she wouldn't be sticking around while they unbound the hybrids. Klaus, who still looked less than pleased about helping his hybrids break the sire-bond, argued heatedly against it. She held firm.

"I have a life that I plan on living as much as possible. I'm not going to be like Stefan and repeat high school again and again for all eternity. It's a onetime thing for me, and I want to milk it for all it's worth. That includes summer cheer practice. I will be back by mid-month and you're going to be so busy that you won't even notice I've been gone. Besides, hanging around here probably won't be all that safe for me."

Klaus was quickly in front of her, his hand a barely-there caress against her hair.

"I would protect you from any danger the hybrids could pose to you, Caroline." He seemed reassured by her small smile and murmured acknowledgement.

As she packed the next morning, Klaus teasingly pouted at her as he threw out wilder and wilder arguments for her to stay. He appeared to be resigned to her leaving and seemed to trust that she would return. After all, they did have more packs to find once they were done here.

She zipped the last suitcase and repeated that, they were ready to leave before she got back, they were under no circumstances allowed to leave her stuff behind. His response was to sigh dramatically and huff, "Fine, go off and play human during this monumental step. We will endure without you."

While Caroline was returning to Virginia for her practice, she didn't have enough time to return to Mystic Falls itself. Had she made it home for the July Fourth celebration like she'd wanted to, she would have been dismayed to see that her mother was accompanied by Elijah.

For about three weeks Liz had been juggling time between both Finn and Elijah. Neither one came out and said they had no wish to encounter each other; still, they both had settled into a schedule that ensured just that. As much as part of her wanted to get the two of them talking about their issues, she forcefully reminded herself that she was not getting involved in Mikaelson family dynamics. Her visits from Finn were spent mostly in silence with occasional conversations about modern technology and culture. Mostly so that he could try and get by in this day and age.

A simple business arrangement – that's how those visits from Elijah had started out – and, at first, they were almost boring. Time spent talking about what his brother was currently up to and where he was. Towards the end of that first week, however, they had quickly evolved into what Liz would almost call a friendship. If your definition of friendship came with a healthy dose of flirting. Liz tried to remind herself not to make too much of it; he was probably just a natural flirt. Unfortunately, that reminder didn't stop the flutter in her stomach or the flush in her face that would occasionally occur with his more suggestive remarks.

As his flirting increased, his questions about what his brother was up to and where he might be _decreased_. As it was, by the time he escorted her – his words, not hers, and she really tried not to read into it – to the town's Fourth of July celebration, it had been nearly a week since he'd even mentioned Klaus. As they walked by various food stands set up for the occasion, the wind gently blowing the skirt of a rarely-worn dress she'd pulled from the back of her closet, she let herself forget that her vampire daughter was on a summer road trip with his hybrid brother and just enjoy the early evening breeze.

She had just managed to focus on the here and now when she and Elijah were approached by one of her deputies. Given that he was in uniform, it was obvious that it was about work and Liz could feel disappointment settle low in her stomach.

"Sheriff Forbes, I didn't realize you had today off."

The combination of his stutter and the blush he was sporting let Liz know that this had nothing to do with police business. Remembering that he had specifically requested to work the celebration, an awkward and uncomfortable feeling took the place of her previous disappointment. She had been trying to encourage his work ambitions while subtly trying to discourage his obvious blossoming crush on her. It didn't appear to be working.

"Well, Adams, once you get to a certain age, you need a break every now and again." She took pity on him when he started to splutter, obviously looking for an appropriate way to deny she was that much older than him. "I'm pretty sure the pyrotechnics could use another once over. I'll see you Tuesday morning, Adams."

The last was said in a kind but firm tone. With any luck, he would be reminded that she was his boss, not a potential bed partner, and in no way interested in making small talk with him. Adams walked off with a slightly disappointed expression and as he did, she caught a smirk on Elijah's face from the corner of her eye.

Turning to him with a challenging brow raised, she asked, "What?"

He didn't reply immediately, instead tucking her hand into his elbow as he led them once again forward through the cheery crowds before answering.

"You always seem to deflect by referencing your age as if you were far older than you actually are. One begins to question why," he finally said.

Ignoring the knowing gleam in his eye, she answered frankly.

"I'm trying to remind him that there is no romance in the cards for us. When bringing up the fact that I'm the boss doesn't deter them, I find reminding them that I'm near old enough to be their mother dampens small flares of infatuation in the more persistent young bucks."

While he looked as if she confirmed something important for him, he didn't comment any further. Watching the fireworks later, though, she couldn't help but get the feeling that they weren't finished with that particular conversation. Perhaps he had figured out the part of her reasoning she hadn't voiced that only applied to him; that she was trying to remind herself that when dealing with someone who was eternally young and beautiful, she really shouldn't set herself up for rejection.

Elijah made pleasant conversation as he drove her home, managing to put her at ease even as he continued with his habit of flirting semi-outrageously. When he turned off the ignition and asked if he could come in for a drink, even though she knew it was dangerously close to giving her libido the wrong idea, she couldn't resist saying yes.

They had just their beers -she got a bit of a kick essentially forcing Elijah to drink something so common- when she heard a knock at the door. Knowing no one was likely to visit her this late at night and worried it could be Finn with a problem, Liz stood up, setting her empty bottle on the coffee table and went to answer the door.

As she turned into the hallway, she felt a frisson of annoyance when she saw Deputy Adams through the window of her front door. Seeing him now dressed in civvies, she quickly realized that she was going to have to stop playing nice and just shoot him down quickly and cleanly. Still, as she opened the door expecting things to get awkward, a part of her did hope he wasn't here hoping she would suddenly fall into his waiting arms.

"What can I do for you, Adams?"

Honestly, considering how often she has had to walk the line between nice and hostile with him, she should take up diplomacy.

"Hey, Liz, I thought I'd stop by and see how your night went."

It wasn't the piss poor excuse that let her know she'd be playing hard-ass tonight, it was the fact that he'd used her first name. This was the first time she'd ever even gotten a hint he knew her first name wasn't Sheriff. Just as she took a breath to let him down none too gently she saw his posture straighten and his jaw tighten. Stiffly, he said, "I can see you have company, though. I'll see you Tuesday, Sheriff."

Liz watched him stride away down her porch steps and back to his car parked along the curb, preparing herself for whatever she would see when she turned around. Nothing, however, could have prepared her. Leaning against the doorjamb of the open French doors in her hallway, his feet bare, shirt untucked and halfway unbuttoned, and his hair noticeably disheveled for lack of a better word, Elijah presented the very image of someone interrupted mid-make-out.

Liz almost didn't recognize the full-on belly laugh that came out of her. Still amused, she couldn't help but channel her daughter more than a bit when she asked "Seriously?"

Eyes opened wide in comical faux innocence, Elijah spread his arms out slightly, palms up, as if to ask what she could possibly be referring to.

"I don't know why Deputy Adams didn't stay. He looked like he spent a good amount of time getting his hair to flop just so in his face. It really gave him an air of boyish charm."

Liz was chuckling as she walked past Elijah to collect their bottles. She was halfway to the kitchen before it dawned on her what he had said. Turning around she nearly jumped when she found he had followed her and closely at that. Deciding to ignore his closeness, she grinned up at him.

"Elijah, is that why you cut your hair?" She turned back toward the kitchen and began walking again and continued the conversation.

"You really didn't need to be insulted when I told you that your haircut made you look twelve." Liz quickly rinsed out the bottles and threw them in the recycle bin before turning to deliver the final, and in her mind witty, blow. "It was really... cute."

She wouldn't describe the look he leveled at her then as _cute_. It made her breath shudder and something deep inside her clench as he began closing in on her.

"I was not insulted, dear Lizbet, nor was it vanity that led me to cut my hair. I simply sought to ensure you had one less excuse to use and remind you that, while I may look... marginally younger than you, I have been alive a millennium longer. So, unlike the way things went with your young deputy tonight, I would like you to be completely upfront and honest with me."

Elijah was well within her personal space at this point, his closeness leaving her unable to even point out that her name wasn't Lizbet. He ran the fingertips of his left hand up along her right arm and across her shoulder until his wrist rested against her neck and he could lightly tug at the hair at her nape. Leaning forward, he continued to speak, his breath ghosting across her temple.

"If I let us continue along the path you have set for us, we will be left with nothing save frustrated flirting. However, I believe we can have something so much more pleasurable."

Another tug to her hair sent her head back slightly and Liz was left trying to hold back a moan as he pulled her against his body with his other hand and placed an open-mouthed kiss just under her ear. A small, sharp nip at that very ear and then he was talking again.

"Tell me to stop, and we will return to the way things were, as if this never happened. But what I really want to do, my Lizbet, is kneel down in front of you in this kitchen, reach up under your dress to pull down your underwear. I want to bury my head between your pretty thighs as you ride my tongue. Then I want to take you to your bedroom and see how many ways I can bring you to orgasm in one night before you pass out."

Pulling back he looked in her eyes and Liz felt like he was trying to devour her with just that look.

"In order to do that, in order to do all that I want to, I need you to say 'yes, Elijah' and mean it. Please, Lizbet, let me have what I want."

Though his words could have sounded as if he were begging, his tone was all demand. Part of her felt she should say no on principle given that tone, but why should she deny herself something she wanted? Reaching up, she buried her left hand in his hair and pulled his mouth toward her. He came easily enough, but quickly took the lead in their kiss. It was wide open and dominating, leaving her feeling as though he had claimed part of her. That feeling only left her eager to see what else she could feel with him.

When he pulled away from her mouth, it was only to drag his lips and tongue down her throat and growl against her pulse, "Say it, Lizbet."

Taking a shuddering breath, Liz let go of her doubts and insecurities.

"Yes, Elijah."


	2. This is What You Chose

Bonnie wasn't just wasting her summer away while Caroline was off traveling with Klaus and playing negotiator. She and Grams had been looking into Atticus Shane both to find out how close he was to being able to wake Silas and to see if he had Silas' headstone with him. If they could find that –and get it from him, of course—they could use the headstone to contact Qetsiyah.

From all appearances, he was just an ordinary occult expert, author, and professor. If Bonnie hadn't known what to look for, she would have doubted that Caroline was right when she said this was someone under the influence of Silas. However, when she took a deeper look into what his lectures and research focused on, she noticed that he appeared to become obsessed with Silas after the deaths of his son and wife.

Part of Bonnie couldn't help but feel sorry for the man. She couldn't imagine what she would do to get back her dad, Grams, Caroline, or Jeremy if they died. Maybe she would even let herself be fooled into believing that Silas could reunite her with them if she would only free him. Understandable as his motives may have been, though, she still found it incomprehensible that he would kill so many innocent people to bring back his family.

Having run into a dead end as far as locating the headstone in his collection and knowing that she may have to find a way to see it in person, Bonnie found herself at loose ends. She began to regret quitting cheerleading because it meant she wasn't at cheer camp with Caroline. Yes, Elena was there but she was very much wrapped up in all things Stefan.

Bonnie couldn't completely give up for the summer so she turned her attention to searching for the hunter Caroline said was coming. It didn't take long to find information on Connor Jordon, even though he seemed to have gone off the grid after he left the Marines. When she came across his photo, however, she was completely shocked. Staring back at her from the computer screen was the man she had seen Caroline kill in her nightmare vision.

She had managed to put the whole thing from her mind and learn to trust in Caroline and whatever version of her future-self had sent her friend back. Now she was forced to confront that memory. No matter how she tried to twist and turn her mind, she couldn't come up with any possible justification for Caroline killing him. As much as she wanted to, she also couldn't pretend that she didn't believe her nightmare would come true. She was left with the choice of turning her back on Caroline and everything they were doing or finding a way to live with this.

While Bonnie's thoughts seemed to be consumed by Caroline, her friend's thoughts were completely focused on werewolves. Specifically, she was focused on the five alpha werewolves who were currently standing outside her hotel room door. The three women and two men were all standing in almost identical poses – their arms crossed over their chests – though she could see them struggling to relax their stance now that they were face-to-face with her. While they didn't necessarily have a uniform 'look', they all gave off a feeling of authority.

They had obviously been told that she was not the enemy and she, thankfully, had been warned ahead of time by Ray that the alphas would be showing up at her room. Otherwise, she would have spent far too much time figuring out how they knew who she was, how they found her room, and if they were there to hurt her. As it was, the only thing she wasn't really prepared for was finding a place for everyone to sit.

Once everyone was relatively comfortable the alphas –after managing to not give her their names without seeming like they were trying not to— dove right into why they were there. Paige had come through for her big time and not only called up the alphas, but also given them all the details. For all intents and purposes she had done Caroline's work for her. Just as she was about to suggest they call Klaus, there was a knock at the door.

Even if it hadn't been for the telltale feeling of 'hybrids' she got as she neared the door, Caroline would have known Klaus was on the other side. Thanks to the spies he undoubtedly set up, he would have known the second she arrived back in her room and probably already knew about the werewolves that had recently arrived as well.

"Klaus, you're just in time." Stepping back to let him enter with Jules and Brady –and ignoring the glare that the later sent her way – she continued, "I'd like to introduce you to five more alphas who've come to take you up on your offer."

When Klaus raised his eyebrows at her she assumed it was to question why she was being rude by not introducing the werewolves by name, she answered a tad defensively, "They didn't feel like giving their names and I wasn't going to pressure them. Paige vouched for them so… they're the real deal."

Caroline had a hard time reading the expression on Klaus' face as he nodded before continuing on further into the room. She quickly realized that he was on the verge of a bad mood, however, when he started talking.

"So, you've hammered out all the little details and made your bargains. All that's left is for me to drop by, donate my blood, and be on my way, then?"

Almost instantly everyone in the room was on edge. Caroline's mind was a blank. This was not a mood she could tease Klaus out of, not while everyone was in the room with them. Caroline had just taken a breath to reply –though she didn't know what she would say—when one of the two male alphas stepped forward.

He had a build and height similar to Klaus but, where Klaus radiated barely checked anger, he gave off a feeling of calm and steady power. His voice, when he answered was smooth and managed to be reassuring without being patronizing. Honestly, Caroline was a bit jealous.

"Please forgive us, Klaus. We were under the impression that you would only negotiate through your mediator. If this isn't the case, then please give us the chance to make amends."

She was convinced that, from most other people, the last would have sounded pleading. However, from this man, it was a simple and polite request. It appeared to do the trick since Klaus rolled his shoulders and neck and visibly relaxed.

"Nothing to forgive, mate. I do use Caroline for the negotiations, I've just been in a bit of a mood. She's been gone for a bit and when she came back it was straight to business, not even a greeting for her old friend."

While Caroline was bristling internally at Klaus not-so-subtly blaming her for his mood, outwardly she didn't show it. Too much was riding on them providing a united front. Given the amusement in his eye, she could tell he was deliberately bating her, perhaps even punishing her for not being there to distract him. Taking a deep breath, she tried to capitalize on the reprieve she was given.

"Well, I'm here now and, unless there are any other questions, we can move along with our plans."

Convinced that the hardest part was over, Caroline was ready to usher everyone out of her room so she could unpack and prepare for trying to break the sire bonds for the new hybrids. However, before she could even begin to suggest everyone should go somewhere that wasn't her room and get some rest, the youngest looking of the female alpha's spoke up.

"You change moods so easily, hybrid. How are we supposed to trust that once you turn our pack members, you won't decide it's better to not break the sire bond?"

Oddly enough, Klaus almost seemed pleased by the werewolf's doubt.

"I'm sure Page informed you that we have plans to lure out a cult using the hybrids. Caroline has made an extremely convincing argument that the sire bond could be used to turn any hybrids I make against me. Normally, I would simply slaughter the members of the cult and be done with it. However, they serve a very powerful creature that want to find and put an end to.

I have Caroline here not only to negotiate for me, but also to remind me that freeing the hybrids is what's best for me in the long run."

Seemingly only partially satisfied with his answer the alpha then turned her attention to Caroline. "And do you care so deeply for the plight of werewolves and hybrids?"

She could have lied. She could have try to convince this stranger that she had just been so moved by the idea that werewolves were dying out that she had to act. She wasn't that good of an actor.

"I would throw everyone in here and their packs under the bus and even jump in their after them, if it meant being able to stop this cult from waking the guy they worship."

Even more than the angry looks on the alpha's faces, the deep warning growl from the doorway warned her that she was truly treading on dangerous ground.

Gesturing toward the doorway, Caroline continued, "Let me introduce you to Brady. As you could probably tell from the second he and Jules walked in with Klaus, he doesn't like me. He also doesn't like Klaus. He doesn't trust either of us at all. That's because he knows our priority is not his pack. I encouraged Klaus to bring him along knowing that he would love nothing more than to bury a stake in my heart. Do you know why?"

Caroline couldn't tell if she had gotten through to the werewolves yet, but they gestured for her to continue.

"His only priority is the safety and wellbeing of his pack. Every werewolf that becomes a hybrid becomes part of his pack. If the pack suddenly becomes expendable to me, he'll be there to make sure they have a fighting chance. I can't guarantee I'll always keep the pack safe, but I can guarantee that he'll always be there to make sure they're not easy prey."

At last the alphas seemed satisfied. As she ushered them out, Jules sent her a look she couldn't interpret. Deciding that she had dealt with enough today, she let it go. Taking a moment to rest her head against the now closed door, Caroline took a deep and calming breath. She hadn't even had a chance to stretch her legs from her long drive and she'd already had to deal with what amounted to two diplomatic catastrophes in the span of just a few minutes. Unfortunately, the arrival of the five alphas and the pack members they wanted turned brought with it a whole new set of problems.

Pulling her phone from her back pocket, she pushed off the door and made her way to the desk. Calling her mother first, she ran through her plan in order to get a second opinion. When Liz agreed that it was the only way, Caroline knew she didn't really have a choice. Scrolling through her contacts she had to laugh. Here she was, a vampire out to save the supernatural world, and she was still calling someone else to come help her.

Just after she had finished lunch the next day, there was a knock at the door. She knew who it was before she opened it, but she still felt equal parts dread and happiness when she saw her father.

"Hi, Caroline."

The smile he gave her was tentative and Caroline hated that their relationship had come to this. At least this time around there hadn't been any torture involved. With a wobbly smile of her own, she pulled the door further open and stepped back to let him in.

"Thanks for coming, daddy."

They didn't waste much time on pleasantries –Caroline wasn't sure she was ready for that—opting instead to start mapping out a plan on the quickest and most efficient way to break the sire bonds of thirty new hybrids. She was just starting to feel sure of the plan they came up with when there was yet another knock at her door. Taking a deep breath, she gave her father a reassuring smile and went to answer it.

Klaus' smile when he saw here was all charm, but his eyes showed he was on the edge of angry yet again. Stepping back and pulling the door open so he, Jules, and Brady could come in, Caroline began talking before he got the chance.

"Before you start throwing around accusations, I was not going behind your back. My dad and I were simply putting together a plan to come to you with."

With an insincerely inquisitive look on his face, Klaus asked, "What kind of plan, love?"

She knew full well he –and probably Jules and Brady—had overheard what she had her dad were talking about. Never the less she answered, "The kind that helps us break the sire bonds of all the new hybrids within the least amount of time."

Nodding along with mock-thoughtful expression, Klaus made his way over to the table and Caroline's notes on it. Riffling through the papers, he began speaking.

"Now, I couldn't help but overhear your plans, and I do agree with most of them. The only problem I have is with…" At this he paused for a moment as he pulled out a sheet of paper. Caroline could see it was clearly the list of names she had come up with of people who could help the hybrids break their sire bonds. "Ah, here it is."

Moving to stand beside her as if to make sure she could see exactly what he was talking about, he pointed his finger right at where her name was on the list. "This name right here. It doesn't belong on the list. Also, should I be offended that my name isn't on here?"

Snatching the paper away from him, she crossed back to the table and slapped the paper back down onto it. Turning back to face him, she crossed her arms over chest and raised her eyebrows at him.

"We've been over this before. You can't be there because it would completely undermine their attempts to break their bond with you. As for my name on that list, we need all hands on deck. That includes me."

At this Klaus was right in front of her, his face millimeters from hers. She could hear her father's chair fall back as he quickly stood –though, how he hoped to defend her she didn't know. Oddly enough, Jules and Brady were right there on either side of Klaus as if they were both ready to pull him off her if necessary.

"I know you're aware that werewolf bites, and therefore hybrid bites, are fatal to vampires. What I can't figure out is why you think I'm going to allow you to put yourself in such direct danger."

"We'll protect her."

Jules firm voice unexpectedly interrupted their argument. The expression on her face showed no hesitation or wavering as she looked Klaus in the eye. As shocked as Caroline had been with Jules' statement, Brady's voice nearly had her checking to see if she was actually still asleep.

"Keeping her alive and safe is what's best for the pack."

Klaus turned to face Brady with a smirk on his face that clearly showed he didn't think Brady believed a word he was saying.

"And tell me, mate, do you like the baby vampire, now?"

Brady's response was firm and immediate. "No. But I trust that our freedom is in her best interests and that she'll remind you that it's also in yours. She's necessary, therefore we'll protect her."

It was far from a ringing endorsement, but it was a lot considering Brady couldn't stand her. Klaus apparently thought so as well since he stopped fighting, though it was obvious he wasn't happy about it.

"Have it your way then, Caroline. However, do be careful. If one hair on your pretty little head is harmed while helping the new hybrids, there will be at least a few less hybrids in the world."

As she watched him stalk out of the room she couldn't help thinking to herself that she really could have handled that better. She got a quick glimpse of a few hybrid's standing out in the hallway and could hear more shuffle out of Klaus' way the further he got. It was hard to tell what they thought of Klaus' threat because they all wore unreadable expressions. Brady's voice drew her attention away from the people in the hall.

"If you manage to get yourself killed, vampire, I will find you in on the other side and make your eternity a hell."

Yup, he still couldn't stand her.

With a huff that managed to almost be amused, Caroline answered, "No need to worry. One, I'll definitely be careful and two, he's probably off to demand Maddox find some way to magically protect me."

Proving that yes, she did know Klaus well, Caroline found herself inside a magical circle that no hybrid could get through as she coached a crying young woman to go ahead and break every bone in her body yet again. Perhaps her guilt showed more than she thought because halfway through the first day Jules stopped just outside of her little circle and scolded her.

"You have to be tougher on her. The gentler you are, the longer it's going to take for her."

Caroline took her words to heart and, no matter how bad she felt about it, she was almost cruel to the young woman and the other hybrids that followed. There were more than a few times she found herself wanting to throw up a white flag and tell Klaus that he was right and she didn't need to do this. However, the thought of giving up in front of Jules, Brady, and especially her father was unbearable.

Caroline called her mother after she was done with her first hybrid. Liz felt helpless as she listened to her daughter cry over having to force someone to suffer. She knew that if her daughter hadn't been able to convince the witch traveling with them to put up some sort of privacy spell then she would still be holding all her guilt in. Caroline didn't need her mother to make everything all better, she just needed someone to listen and understand without judging. It was that knowledge that gave her the strength to listen to her baby sobbing across the phoneline and not get in the car and drive the roughly seven hundred miles to reach her.

Of course, she wasn't without her own support. Oddly enough, beyond being good company and phenomenal in bed, Elijah was also very good at listening and had also proven to be extremely understanding. When Liz told him at the end of August that his brother had enough hybrids and was coming back to Mystic Falls along with her daughter, he didn't seem hurt when she told him that she wasn't willing to put the stress of her mother being involved with a vampire on her daughter. Not when she was already going through so much.

However, he did seem intent on making their time left together extremely memorable. Roughly a week before Caroline was due to come home, Elijah turned up at her door with a bottle of expensive wine and a grocery bag full of food. She sat at her kitchen table and laughed at his stories and watched him cook an amazing meal. Of course, dessert was enjoyed repeatedly in the bedroom throughout the night and well into the morning. By all rights, she should be worn out and sore, not waking up in the middle of the afternoon half ready to go again like a teenager who had just discovered sex.

As unusual as it all was, and even laying there with undoubtedly matted hair, sticky skin, and a metallic taste coating her mouth, Liz was happy. She was also quickly forgetting how unappealing she probably looked due in no small part to the feel of Elijah curled up against her back with his hand sliding up her thigh and the feel of his blunt teeth dragging on the back of her neck.

Elijah her top leg up over his leaving her open for his exploring fingers. At her quickly indrawn breath he chuckled.

"Good morning, Lizbet."

Liz gave a slight chuckle and replied, "I'm pretty sure we've already wasted the morning away."

A shift in his hand and suddenly she felt the welcomed quick slide of fingers into her. His disagreeing hum was nearly drowned out by her gasp.

"I cannot, in good conscience, consider the morning wasted."

Before Liz could respond, he withdrew his fingers and was shifting her forward onto her stomach. A pillow that wasn't there just a moment before gave her hips some lift and he then moved over top of her. She didn't bother trying to stop herself from moaning as he slid into her. The angle was all wrong –she wasn't going to get friction or pressure anywhere she needed it— and it was made even more frustrating by the fact that he didn't even attempt to move.

As pleasant as it was to feel him almost surrounding her as he lay over her back and slid his arms underneath her, Liz was discovering she wasn't very patient. She had just taken a breath to demand he do something when she noticed he was slowly pulling something from beneath the pillow her head had just recently been on. Slightly bewildered, she had to wonder when he got the chance to slip something under there. Quickly on the heels of that thought, there was a second of panic when she noticed it was a black box. Elijah more than likely felt her momentary tension. In fact, given his slight chuckle, he had deliberately teased her.

Liz was laughing even as she awkwardly tried to bat at his body still lying over top of her. She quieted down as he placed the rectangular black velvet box obviously intended for jewelry on top of the pillow. She continued to stare at it as he shifted slightly and slid his arms along-side her body, encouraging her to lift onto her elbows to make room for them. He kissed her shoulder and then rested his chin on it.

"Earlier this week, Pearl finalized the purchase of a home just outside of Mystic Fall which is to be used as a residence for Klaus' hybrids."

Unable to keep the laugh out of her voice, Liz interrupted with, "When you're lying in bed, buried nearly to the hilt inside of me, it's not really the time to talk about your brother or another woman's real estate ventures."

Elijah gave a playful nip on her shoulder causing her to swat, albeit gently, at his head.

"I do have a point, sweetheart, if you'll let me get to it."

Liz mockingly gestured with her hand and a slight bow of her head for him to proceed. The movement was only slightly awkward given her current position.

"I requested Pearl also look for a suitable home within the Mystic Falls town limits but preferably a fair distance from your residence." At this he reached forward and opened the box, revealing a dully gleaming house key nestled inside.

"All you have to do is say 'Yes, Elijah' and this doesn't have to end in a week."

Liz was completely stunned. When she had told Elijah what her daughter coming home meant for them, she had assumed what they had would simply end. She hadn't expected him to take it as a challenge and attempt to find a way for them to continue even with Caroline's presence. Honestly, she thought to herself, what kind of person would just buy a house so they could keep having sex with someone?

Seemingly not content to wait out her silence, Elijah pulled them both into kneeling position which had the side effect of driving him deeper into her. Suddenly pulled from her state of shock, Liz was focused firmly on the here and now. More specifically, she was very focused on every movement from Elijah. Running his right hand up over her neck until he could turn her face more toward him, he rested his forehead against her temple and closed his eyes.

"If you want, we can end this when your daughter returns and simply leave it as a pleasant memory we shared. However, if you were to accept this gift…" Liz was distracted from what he was saying by his left hand which had by now, slide down her torso so that his fingers were free to gently rub over her clit with only enough pressure to tease.

"There are so many things I want to show you, my Lizbet. So many pleasures we haven't even touched upon. We can create memories that will wake you up in the night and leave you shaking from desire. You just have to be willing to take what you want."

And it suddenly seemed so easy. She had spent her whole life playing it safe and still managing to get the short end of the stick. Now she was presented with the opportunity to do something completely for herself. Yes, he was dangerous; but he wouldn't be any less dangerous to her if she let what they had end. And maybe she was just trying to justify it, but so what if she was? She was going to be selfish and pay whatever price she needed to down the road.

Reaching down to press his fingers firmer her sex with one hand while reaching for his face with the other, she let out a soft moan as she rolled her hips back into him. When his eyes shot open to meet hers, she said in a voice that was only slightly shaky, "Yes, Elijah."

Feeling herself being moved for just a moment, Liz quickly found she was lying on her back underneath a very enthusiastic Elijah. She was soon lost in the feel of his deep and steady thrusts and the stream of filthy praises that fell from his lips. If this was a mistake, it was one she had a feeling she wouldn't regret making.


	3. And I'm Not Afraid to Die

Rebekah had been trying to make the best of things. She had learned to deal with the slight burn in everything she ate that wasn't prepared in her home thanks to the vervain in the town's water supply. She had learned to deal with servants and shopkeepers who couldn't be compelled to do her will when she was short on patience. She had even learned to deal with her brothers neglecting to help her adapt to this new age –she refused to go begging to the most recent doppelgänger and her misfit band for help. Klaus was back, however, with the new baby vampire in tow and she was through just dealing.

Before her brother had left on his ridiculous quest for hybrids she had told Caroline she would come up with the appropriate price for the location of her dear Alexander's grave. These past ten weeks had clarified for her exactly what that price should be. Now if only the damn brat would wake up. Quickly snatching up a stuffed bear, Rebekah threw it at the sleeping girl and then stood impatiently at the foot of her bed. The slowness with which Caroline woke up only served to frustrate her even more. The insolent expression she shot her as she propped herself up on her elbows didn't help either.

"Last time I checked, I didn't have an open-door policy where the Mikaelsons were concerned."

The small huff the girl gave at whatever joke she made that Rebekah didn't get was the breaking point. Ripping the covers away to make sure she had Caroline's attention, she got straight to the point.

"In return for me taking you to retrieve the sword, you are going to be my best friend, guide, and teacher all rolled into one. You are going to make sure I know every little thing about living the type of life you lead. I'm beyond through with people in this town staring at me as if I'm a strange new creature."

Caroline groaned, collapsed back onto her bed, and took a breath to answer. The voice that followed was neither hers, nor did it come from the bed.

"Rule one of being a modern teenager, you generally wait until you're actually good friends with someone before coming into their house uninvited."

Rebekah turned and saw Sheriff Forbes leaning against Caroline's doorjamb with an amused expression on her face and holding a cup of tea.

"Sorry for intruding, but I couldn't help but overhear your… girl talk. The looks you're getting might have less to do with any social missteps and more to do with the fact that I've told the Lockwood family and the rest of the town council all about our situation."

It was only because it had been drilled into her head by Elijah that she had to play extremely nice with everyone that she didn't immediately threaten to drain the sheriff dry right then. As it was her expression clearly showed she was displeased, though the reaction she got from Caroline's mother was simply a raised eyebrow. Caroline herself wasn't paying attention to her as she came into a full sitting position and focused on her mother.

"I get why the Lockwoods wouldn't be coming after us since they're part of the supernatural world now, but why haven't the rest of the council come after the vampires in town?"

The smirk the sheriff wore was very smug when she answered, "I took a page from your book and cut off the vervain in the water supply. Then I had Elijah and Finn compel them to be… understanding and cooperative when I told them."

At this Rebekah gave a huff and whined, "If you people would have told me this, I could have been enjoying the food and drink more in this town."

She didn't appreciate the amused look on the sheriff's face or the laugh when she said, "As soon as we were done compelling them, we went back to putting vervain in the water supply. You'll just have to keep eating the food your family's personal chef cooks you. I'm sure you'll manage somehow."

Rebekah could feel outrage building up, but before she could properly put the woman in her place, she had turned and was talking to Caroline.

"She does have a good idea, though. You should show her how to blend in. The council is less likely to get antsy if she acts just like any other teenager would."

Caroline took a breath –probably to whine and complain about it, the child—but her mother quickly stopped her.

"I expect you to be on your best behavior. We don't need to cause extra problems because we can't get along like adults." She then turned her look on Rebekah and continued, "That goes for the both of you. You'll have to act like the young, capable ladies I know you can be."

Without waiting for any further argument, she turned and left the room. Despite wanting to object on principle –who was a human a thousand years younger than her to give her orders— she decided to cooperate since it got her what she wanted. Turning to Caroline, she gave the other girl a bright smile. In return she got an eye roll and an overly-dramatic huff.

"Fine. You wanna learn to be me, then you're gonna get the full package. Be here tomorrow morning at five thirty dressed in workout clothes. We're going to be running at human speed. I'll let you know the rest on our run."

The next morning, and for the rest of that week, she went running with Caroline as the younger girl got her up to speed on the ins and outs of what it now meant to be a teenage girl. After their runs, Caroline would then go over cheer routines with her. When Rebekah objected, Caroline told her it was all or nothing. She would have pushed it, but the sheriff –Elizabeth— came out and asked how everything was going. It wasn't that she was afraid of the woman's judgement per se, but she didn't want her thinking that she was somehow more childish than Caroline.

Caroline, for her part, wasn't as put out by the whole situation as she may have let on. Yes, Rebekah could be more than a bit standoffish and immature. But Caroline kind of got where she was coming from. Beneath the mean girl attitude, she recognized the insecurity and loneliness. It was hard not to when she had lived and, to an extent, was still living it. She was aware, however, that her new frenemy wouldn't except any kind of friendship straight off the bat. It just wasn't something she was used to or thought she could trust.

Still, there was only so much she could take before she was ready to snap for real. She could feel herself nearing that point Thursday, so she told Rebekah that they were taking Friday off. She had thought that would leave her free of the original vampire for a day. She gave up on that when, while she was sitting at the Grill with her mother for dinner, Rebekah sat down and joined them as if she had been invited. Her mom was no help since she just smiled and treated her like she was another one of Caroline's friends.

Her mother gave a not-so-subtle nudge to her foot when she started to rudely ask why Rebekah was here and not with her own family. After that, she couldn't really do anything aside from play nice and hope the dinner ended soon. While she was trying to not react to how chummy her mother and their uninvited guest were being, she happened to catch sight of Jeremy chasing down Matt Donovan in an almost subtle way. As they disappeared through the doors to the kitchen she didn't hesitate to focus on listening to their conversation.

"Listen, man, I get you not wanting to talk. But honestly, I'm the best person for you to spend today of all days with."

There was a pause here, as if Matt had given some sort of nonverbal response before Jeremy continued, "You were in love in love with my sister, I was in love with yours."

She heard a small scuffle and then Matt's angry voice, "Don't you even…"

Jeremy quickly interrupted with the kind of tone you'd use on a scared animal. "I've lost people to, Matt. I know what it's like to feel like nobody gets it or wants to hear about your pain. Like they just want you to forget and move on. But this being alone thing you're trying? It's not good for you. Now, we don't have to talk about her, or even talk. Just, I think we should be with people who get why today kinda sucks."

She could hear the tears in his voice by the time he finished, but Matt didn't seem ready to give in just yet.

"I'm finding it hard to believe you need someone today. It's obvious that you've already moved on."

There was a short bark of laughter from Jeremy at that.

"Yeah, I've got Bonnie, and I am… so happy with her. But that doesn't change that I love Vicki and I miss her. Just… why don't you come with me when your shift's done. We'll go out by the lake, have a few drinks, and just… I don't know, miss her together."

Caroline had just heard Matt agree with her mother lightly covered her hand and, when she looked, had a concerned look on her face. She took a deep breath and then a drink of the ice tea she had ordered.

"Today's Vicki's birthday."

While that answer was enough for her mother, Rebekah wore an expecting expression on her face. Caroline didn't even have it in her to be upset at the other girl's presence anymore.

"Vicki was Matt's sister and Jeremy was… involved with her. She died almost a year ago, so…"

She finished the sentence with a vague gesture to the kitchen where the boys had been talking, hoping that would suffice. Rebekah let it go, and the rest of the dinner passed in peace. Before she left them however, Caroline offered something of a white flag.

"No training tomorrow. But, if you're wanting to hang out or whatever, just don't come by before lunch. I plan to sleep in."

She turned and left with her mother in tow before any answer could come. However, her plans for sleeping in fell through when there was a knock on the door at seven in the morning. Her grumpiness at being woke up isn't improved by the sight of Maddox's smiling face on the other side of her front door. She didn't even bother to greet him as he stood on her front porch, just glared at him and hoped it would make him leave. She had no such luck. He simply held up the messenger bag he was carrying with a small chuckle.

"Klaus sent me. He wants your house warded against werewolves."

Caroline didn't budge an inch when she replied, "Mason turned tail and ran just after the ceremony. I mean, I don't blame him, but that means there are no triggered werewolves in Mystic Falls. The hybrids have shown no signs of coming after me, either. So, why does Klaus think I need my house warded?"

Maddox casually pushed past her and into the house. She could have stopped him but, in all honesty, she just really wanted to know what was going on in Klaus' head.

"Klaus is leaving to meet with another group of wolves tomorrow, but he says he has a feeling they'll start coming directly here soon enough."

Walking into the living room, he set down his bag and began to unpack it. As he spread out its contents, he continued to make conversation.

"Speaking of wolves, some of the hybrids are talking among themselves, wondering if he's going to approach the cursed pack in New Orleans."

Caroline couldn't help her curiosity, but tried to play it off by heading to the kitchen as she asked him what kind of curse.

"It's not real clear. Not a lot of information comes out of that area, or at least it hasn't for a long time."

When she walked back in with two cups of tea –when exactly did her mom start stocking tea and stop stocking coffee? — Maddox had set up what looked to be a small alter on the coffee table. She sat down on the couch as he arranged the candles, poured out different powders, and rearranged various items.

"I tried to get some information from some witches I know down there, but I can't even get hold of them."

"Well, mate, that's because you don't know the right witches."

Caroline could swear she felt her heart jump into her throat. Looking over at where Kol was now grinning as he lounged against the pillar in her living room doorway, he was well aware of it.

"What are you doing here?"

Though her words could have been taken as rude, she couldn't help the fondness that slipped into her tone. She hadn't realized how much she had missed him. Sliding onto the couch beside her, he threw his arm around her shoulder and gave her a teasing bop on the nose with his finger.

"I gave you and my dear sister as much quality time together as I could stand but I just missed you too much, darling! I couldn't resist seeing you before I left with Klaus on another one of his hybrid making jaunts."

Caroline did what she could to keep herself from grinning but Kol's wink let her know she failed.

"I missed you too. Now, what's this about Maddox not knowing the right witches? Do you?"

When he looked like he was going to play around and pretend he didn't know what she was talking about, she reached out and gave him a back-handed slap on his stomach. Ignoring the warnings in the back of her head that she was playing around with a very dangerous creature, she demanded, "Tell me everything you know, Mikaelson."

At that, Kol's eyebrows raised and Caroline was left to wonder for a second what she had said that was so interesting.

"News must travel fast. We just recently decided to go with Mikaelson."

Caroline was almost ready to reply with a joke about time travel but a quick flick of Kol's eyes to the other occupant of the room had her settling on a quick batting of her eyelashes and a faux-mysterious reply of, "I have my ways."

With nothing more than a hum of acknowledgement, Kol steered back to the original conversation.

"I know a couple of witches who know some witches. You know how it goes. There was a ritual last night that wasn't completed. Apparently, it was stopped by some vampires who killed just about everyone involved. The witches down there are scrambling, trying to figure out what to do. All very messy."

He then leaned in and whispered in a conspiratorial voice, "They're heavy into ancestral magic down there. It was probably a death ritual that they don't really want to talk about."

He leaned back once again and continued in his normal voice, "It's nothing that should affect us, though we might want to check in occasionally. Just in case."

No more was said about the supernatural goings on down in New Orleans as Maddox proceeded with the spell to ward her home. There was, however, enough flirting and banter to go around in its place. Afterward, Caroline would find herself a bit bewildered that the almost vicious nature of Kol and Maddox's flirting didn't disturb her.

Three nights later she had managed to completely put it from her mind. It didn't hurt that she was in the middle of a very rowdy party. The hybrids were celebrating what was for some their first full moon without the need to change. While most ignored her in favor of the alcohol and dancing, some of them kept a suspicious eye on her. Theoretically, they should all be stronger than her, but old fears and mistrust die hard.

The exception seemed to be Mindy. The young woman latched onto her almost as soon as she entered the sprawling mansion the hybrids now called home. It had taken a good hour before Caroline could look at Mindy and not remember goading her into forcing herself to shift. While the experience still felt like torture in Caroline's mind, the hybrid seemed to be having no such problems.

After more than a few drinks, Caroline stopped feeling the stares of the hybrids who were still wary of a vampire in their home. A few more drinks after that and she was laughing along with everyone else as they started a game that seemed to involve nothing more than partially shifting and randomly nipping at each other. Feeling the very pressing need to use the bathroom, Caroline reached for Mindy's shoulder to get her attention and let her know where she was going.

Suddenly, there was a sharp pain in her forearm. The pain didn't fit in the moment and so it left Caroline feeling confused. It was only as everyone around her went still and quiet that she realized what had happened.

Everything else around Caroline muted and blurred as she focused on where Mindy's hybrid teeth were imbedded in her arm. She barely noticed as the girl pulled back and could only stare at the relatively small bite wound now decorating her arm. It looked so tiny, really. Like it shouldn't be lethal at all.

It took a moment for the sound of Mindy's panicked voice to catch her attention. However, it wasn't until she heard someone say they needed to call Klaus that she snapped back to full awareness.

"No."

Her voice was firm and grabbed everyone's attention. Looking wildly around, she began forming a plan in her head.

"Is there anyone here besides hybrids?"

When she got a lot of answers to the negative, she settled on her plan.

"Nobody knows who bit me."

When Mindy started shaking her head in confusion, Caroline reached forward and grabbed her face, forcing the girl to look her in the eyes.

"If they know who bit me, one of them might lash out. It was an accident, and I don't want anyone to get hurt or worse because of it."

"You'll die."

Brady's voice was clear and calm beside her. In the panic of the crowd she hadn't noticed he was so close.

"I'll die either way, what good would Mindy suffering do?"

Brady kept eye contact with her, though his expression was unreadable.

"Klaus will be able to smell her in the bite."

Running a hand through her hair, Caroline quickly thought. Hitting on the answer, she turned fully toward Brady as she spoke.

"I'll go see Bonnie. There's probably some sort of spell that can mask the scent. Make sure all the hybrids know how important it is. If anyone asks, no one knows who bit me. You're not even sure when I got bit."

Without waiting for his answer since she was sure he would do this to protect his pack, she quickly made her way to the door. She hadn't even realized she was being followed until someone gently grabbed her arm. Turning, she found a hybrid she didn't recognize. He must have read something on her face, because he pulled away slightly.

"I'm Tony. I'm going to go with you, make sure you get there safe."

The 'and without killing anyone' was heavily implied. Knowing it was for the best, she couldn't stop herself from warning him. "When we get there, you need to get lost. If anyone sees you around me like this they might assume the worst."

He nodded his agreement and they made their way to her car. She couldn't even find it in her to object when he took the keys. She simply pulled out her cell phone and made a call to Bonnie letting her know she was on her way and why. The entire drive she questioned what exactly she was doing. Not hiding who bit her, that was a given. She questioned what she planned to do after the spell was done. Her hand tightened slightly on the phone. She should call Klaus. It was the only way she could live. If it had been _her_ Klaus, she would have without hesitation. But this Klaus…?

She put the thought from her mind as they pulled up in front of Bonnie's house. Even as she walked up to the front door, she could feel herself getting just a bit weaker. Judging by Tony's hand at her elbow, she wasn't doing a good job of hiding it. Before she knocked on the door, she quickly thanked him and then told him to go. She assumed he listened since he was no longer beside her when her friend answered.

After that, it all became a blur. She was aware of Bonnie's voice and seemingly much later a warm feeling over her now painful and infected looking wound. Shortly after that, she could hear Tony's voice at the door. Seeing that her friend wasn't near, she went to talk to him. Stepping outside and closing the door, she leaned against it and fought to keep her eyes open. Maybe the alcohol had somehow made the venom travel faster or maybe she had just lost track of time.

"You're supposed to be gone. I can't promise they won't think you bit me if you're here."

Looking determined, Tony ignored what she said.

"Are you going to call Klaus so he can help you?"

Maybe she was hallucinating and it wasn't Tony asking. Maybe she was really asking herself. Whatever.

"No. I'm just going to go find someplace safe and take care of… No. I'm not going to call him."

She could hear Tony give a resigned sigh as if he had expected it. "I'm sorry, Caroline."

Before she could ask him what he was sorry for, she felt a sharp pain in her neck and everything went black.

Minutes later Finn's reading was disturbed by the sound of the front door banging open. As he entered the foyer, he could hear Elijah questioning one of Klaus' hybrids. Rounding the bottom of the stairs, he saw that the hybrid in question was holding an unconscious Caroline.

"Klaus told me to bring her here. She's got a hybrid bite."

Almost immediately Elijah was in the hybrid's face, nearly causing him to drop Caroline's body.

"Which one of you ungrateful beasts attacked her?"

Finn had to give the boy credit; he barely flinched with an angry, original vampire in his face. His voice even stayed calm when he answered.

"We're sure it was an accident, though we don't know who bit her."

When Elijah looked ready to tear into the young man, Finn stepped forward and gripped his shoulder.

"Calm yourself, Elijah. Right now, we need to worry about Caroline."

Pulling his brother back, Finn moved forward and lifted the baby vampire into his arms and then addressed the hybrid.

"Did Klaus have any more orders for you?"

When the hybrid –Tony, he supplied when Elijah called him a mutt and said his orders weren't important— said he was told to take her to Klaus' room and make sure she stayed, Finn thanked him and headed toward his brother's room.

As he lowered her to the bed, she began to stir. He heard Elijah walk through the door followed shortly by his sister. More specifically, the sound of his sister's voice coming up the stairs.

"What the bloody hell is going on in this house? I thought those hybrids understood that they were to stay out of here?"

He knew from her startled gasp the moment she stepped into the doorway and saw Caroline lying on the bed.

"What happened to her?"

Finn didn't even bother trying to answer as he knew Elijah would jump in with his idea on what happened.

"One of those foul _things_ Klaus created bit Miss Forbes."

Finn was convinced it wasn't concern for Caroline that had Elijah worked up. That was confirmed for him when the next words from his mouth were about her mother.

"I'll go inform Elizabeth. She'll want to be here."

At this Caroline finally managed to speak, though her voice was weak and every word sounded like a struggle.

"No. She doesn't need… she can't see this."

For all the effect her words had on Elijah, she may as well have not tried to speak at all. Before he could leave the room, Rebekah grabbed onto his arm, his name coming from her with a mix of confusion and censure. The look he turned on her was full of the arrogance and contempt that Finn detested in him.

"She's dying, Rebekah. Soon her wishes won't matter."

In shock, Rebekah let go of him and watched as he quickly left. Finn turned his attention back to the dying girl struggling to chase down his brother. Gently pushing her down, he tried to sooth her.

"You must conserve your strength. Klaus is on his way, I'm assuming with a cure. Until then you must rest."

She had no choice but to comply as what little strength she had deserted her. Turning to his sister, he quietly told her to go downstairs and do her best to delay Caroline's mother when she arrived.

Although he could do nothing for the poor young woman Finn still found himself sitting at the bedside and listening to her struggle to breathe. He wasn't sure how long he sat there watching her. He could tell that she was still conscious, though she appeared to be taking his advice and resting. To be honest, he was a bit surprised Elijah hadn't already arrived with Elizabeth in tow. He knew it was too much to hope that his brother had seen reason, but perhaps he was having a small amount of difficulty locating Caroline's mother.

He was pulled from his musings by a movement from the bed. Caroline had turned her head, opened her eyes, and was softly smiling at him.

"But if ever I meet with a Boojum that day, in a moment, of this I am sure, I shall softly and suddenly vanish away, and the notion I cannot endure!"

Perhaps it was her labored and unsteady breathing causing her words not to make sense – or perhaps it was another example of him not understanding something because he had spent nine hundred years daggered and in a coffin. More than likely it was neither of those and instead it was the hybrid venom making her delirious, making her words nothing more than nonsense. The last seemed like too great a tragedy and so Finn deliberately ignore the possibility that it was the case.

Rising from his chair and moving to kneel by the side of the bed, he gently grasped her hand and whispered, "I'm afraid I didn't understand, my dear. Perhaps you can explain?"

Caroline softly laughed and weakly squeezed his hand.

"It's a quote from a nonsense poem. I just mean that I don't want to vanish. At least not with so much left that only I know."

At this, she appeared to be trying to move, but the poison in her blood left her to weak. She quickly gave up and settled for squeezing his hand again.

"I know you can get inside my head, kind of like dropping in on my dreams. I need someone who's still alive to know…"

She paused, closing her eyes and swallowing with obvious difficulty. When her eyes opened, instead of continuing what she had been saying, Caroline simply stared at him imploringly. It didn't matter what it was she felt so strongly had to survive her –it could be her ultimate reason behind her every interaction with his family or it could be that she had stolen a ribbon from one of her friends and had never been caught—he couldn't find it in himself to refuse her such a simple request. There was also the small idea in the back of his mind that, perhaps, her asking this meant that the end was near enough that her mother would be spared her final death throws.

He slipped easily into her mind, perhaps due in part to her being open to his presence. It was night and he was in an open field. His attention was drawn to images flickering on a large free standing screen, though he had seen no possible source for the projection. It looked like the drive-in theater Sage had taken him to recently, though recognized some of the people on the film; some were even members of his monstrous family.

"It's my memories."

Finn turned around and found Caroline sitting on the hood of a car where neither she nor it had been before. She was looking healthy and content and so he didn't deny her when she invited him to sit next to her. He was about to ask her if there was anything he could do to make things easier when she hushed him and pointed at the screen.

"This is something you really should see. It's why I asked you to come here."

On the screen, he could see Caroline's witch friend, Bonnie, lying on the floor of what looked to be a basement. He knew, the way you always do in dreams, that she was dead. The witch's boyfriend –Jeremy if he remembered correctly—was gesturing for Caroline to enter the circle. The words seemed muffled, possibly not even an actual language. However, dream logic came to the rescue again, and he understood exactly what was going on.

As the scene changed and the Caroline and Bonnie on the screen were talking, the Caroline beside him let out a huff. When he glanced over at her, she had a sad smile on her face.

"We're watching a dream while in a dream. Freaky."

He turned back just in time to feel a shock go through him. Time travel. They were talking about sending Caroline back in time. He had just begun to accept that it was something that might have happened when he was faced with another shock; His youngest brother was suddenly on screen. As the conversation continued –still understood without actually being heard—he was left in a bit of confusion.

"What secret is he telling you?"

Caroline turned to him with a half-hearted grin and held her forefinger up to her lips. "Shh. Not my secret to tell."

He decided to simply let it go and turned back to see what else she needed for him to know. He felt anger on her behalf as he watched her wake up at night on someone's lawn like a discarded rag. He knew all that had gone on before and led to that night as if he had lived it. He didn't realize that his fangs had dropped and he had bared his teeth until he felt Caroline's hand on his face.

"I'm sorry, you shouldn't have gotten all that. It's not why you're here."

He wanted to argue with her, but knew it was futile. She was dying –Klaus most likely wouldn't get there in time even if he knew of a cure—and she deserved to have her last wishes respected.

"Do you need me to continue your mission? Is that why we're here?"

At this the tears that had been gathering in Caroline's eyes spilled over. Shaking her head, she gave a shaky laugh.

"I've gotten that all taken care of. Kol, my mom, Bonnie and Sheila… they're all helping. What I need from you… I should be asking of anyone else besides you. It's cruel what I want, but here and now I'm too selfish to spare you."

She turned back to face the screen and so he followed suit. What he saw there confused him once again. Klaus was there in formal clothing, his face open and engaging, speaking of his history with their father to Caroline, also in formal clothing. A quick change of scene, obviously, the same night, and she was delivering hard truths and throwing his gift back in Klaus' face. Another switch, later the same night in Caroline's room, and a beautiful sketch with an inscription thanking her for her honesty. The scenes began to go by even quicker, but Finn saw exactly what Caroline was trying to show him.

Somewhere buried inside the monster that had trapped him in a box for centuries –the same monster that had slaughtered his way across the world while on the run from their father— was the young boy who loved them all dearly. Buried in the scenes, he found another truth; When their mother had betrayed Klaus by cursing him he had, in a fit of rage and hurt, killed her. It was never their father, monster that he had been.

Finn could feel the tears streaming down his cheeks and heard Caroline's sobbing beside him. He felt almost numb as he muttered, "I don't know what to do with this."

He could feel the shift in the air as Caroline's hand hovered, almost touching his shoulder as she continued to cry.

"I'm sorry it was you. I know I should have been stronger. I shouldn't be putting you through this."

A confused as the situation had left him, Finn remember that this poor girl was dying. She shouldn't have to be strong. He quickly pushed down everything he had learned, turning toward her and wrapped her in his arms. Before he could comfort her, however, he felt himself being ripped out of her dream.

His head felt fuzzy and it took a few moments before he could get his bearings. When he focused on the scene in front of him, it only added to the turmoil Caroline's dream world had left him with. Caroline was feeding weakly from Klaus' wrist as her mother and his siblings watched on. The Klaus he saw, though, wasn't the same hybrid that he had been seeing since he was released from his coffin. It was the Klaus from her memories, the same soft look of longing mixed in with the obvious worry.

Rather than ease any of the deep anger that had been running through him for the past few months, it instead made it burn hotter. How dare his brother retain any glimmer of the boy he had been after he had stolen so much from his siblings, from Finn? A dark part of him longed to lunge forward and attempt to rip the rotten and faithless heart from his brother. However, his eyes falling on Caroline's weak form, he remembered that there were more important things than his revenge.

He once again banked his rage and hoped he could keep it buried long enough for Caroline's plans to succeed.


	4. Done With All This Measuring of Proof

Kol sat silently as Klaus yelled, threatened, and generally tried to intimidate the three hybrids he had demanded make an appearance at their home. Normally he would have been tempted to join in. This time, he had more pressing matters on his mind. He was filled with a strange mixture of anger and betrayal and wanted nothing more to vent it out on the source of those feelings.

He hadn't realized the baby vampire had become someone he relied on; someone he trusted. He had just taken it for granted that she would never let him down. The whole situation was leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.

His attention was caught by a movement at the top of the stairs. There Liz stood with her daughter watching the spectacle below. He could easily see confusion and then frustration in Caroline's expression as she took in his brother's tirade.

"Enough."

Caroline's voice was firm and unwavering, as if she expected to be obeyed. Klaus went still and turned toward her with exaggerated care. Kol himself was angry enough at her that he couldn't even find it in him to have sympathy for what she was about to be subjected to.

"Sweetheart, it's best not to interfere in pack business. They need to learn that this sort of thing will not be tolerated."

His voice was cold and carried an edge of violence to it. Though Kol was sure Caroline was aware of how dangerous Klaus was in this sort of mood, she didn't back down. On the contrary, she stood straighter and clenched her fists as if she was fighting the urge to physically attack him.

"This is not pack business, Klaus. This is not your business. This is between me and the hybrids. You have no right to demand anything from them, let alone that they tell you who bit me. It was my life on the line and my call. I told them that I didn't want anyone to find out who did it, and that hasn't changed."

At the mention of her life being on the line, something in Kol snapped. Without waiting for Klaus to answer her, he was suddenly in Caroline's face. He took in her startled expression for a moment, trying to calm himself so he could get out what he needed to say.

"That's just the thing, darling. It was your life on the line, and the call you chose to make was to bloody well throw it away and not ask for the cure. Damn all the promises you made to the Bennett witches. Damn the promises made to the dead coven that sent you back. And damn the promises and deals we made. You were just going to throw it all away and leave me here to deal with the mess."

The feeling of a hand on his shoulder did nothing to calm him. Nor did the look of realization on Caroline's face.

"Kol, she had no way of knowing there was even a cure, let alone that Klaus could help her."

He gave out a bark of laughter at both Elijah's statement and the guilty look that quickly came and went on Caroline's face. Turning to his older brother, he gave what he knew had to be a manic grin.

"That's the beauty of it, Elijah. She knew exactly what the cure was. This wasn't her first time being bit. She chose to die."

Elijah took a step back, though Kol wasn't sure if it was because of his expression, or what he said. Then, a blink and it was no longer Elijah's confused face he was looking at, but Finn.

"You've said enough Kol."

The look Finn gave him clearly showed that he was aware of what was really going on. It was all Kol could do not to turn and sink his teeth into Caroline in a fit of anger.

"If you know, big brother, then she's still keeping things from me. Tell me this, how can you not be pissed? She waltzes into our lives, demanding that we face off against Silas, and here she is bowing out at the first chance she gets."

He whirled on Caroline, ignoring her resigned face, and continued his tirade.

"You selfish child! You have no right to drag people into your plans, make them trust you, and then turn tail and run at the first opportunity. You little coward, I should just rip out your heart now since you're so eager to die."

Oddly enough, it wasn't fear he saw on Caroline's face. She was looking at him with understanding and regret.

"You're right, Kol. I gave up. I was tired, and afraid, and I selfishly didn't think of anyone else. I had no right to do that to you, or Bonnie, or anyone else. I'm sorry."

And just like that, all his rage drained out of him and he was left to face the fact that he had been afraid. For the first time in a thousand years, he was actually afraid of losing someone. Grasping her head between his hands, he dragged her forward until her forehead was pressed against his. He stared into her eyes for a second just breathing.

"Never again. You're in this until the bitter end. No giving up, and no taking the easy way. We're partners."

Taking a deep breath, he went one step further and voiced what he had just realized himself, "We're friends, and friends don't abandon each other."

He felt her hands rest against his elbows and she gave a teary nod.

"We're partners and friends. But, for now, I have some explaining to do to your family."

Realization slowly dawned on Kol, and he pulled back to look around at the other people in the room. Liz's expression was somewhere between rueful and amused. Elijah, Rebekah, and Klaus and his damnable hybrids however, all looked confused and impatient. Finn was looking at him with nothing short of contempt.

"That's the problem with you, Kol. You've never had any control."

Before he could lash out at the self-righteous prick, Klaus cut in with a deceptively calm voice.

"Would one of you care to explain exactly what is going on here?"

Behind him he heard Caroline took a deep breath and, when he turned back toward her, she looked ready to take on the world. Her voice matched her change in demeaner.

"First thing's first. Jules, Brady, Tony, I need your word. Whatever you hear goes no further. It's not a secret you'll have to keep forever, just until we get through with this whole Silas situation."

He turned his attentions to the hybrid, ready to convince them any way he need to, though it proved unnecessary. Their expressions were wary, but none of the three hesitated to agree. At that, he heard Caroline mumbling something to herself about band aids, and then take a deep breath.

"I got sent back in time by some dead witches because Silas woke up and we didn't manage to stop him completely."

There was a moment of silence in which Kol had the outlandish hope that it really would be as simple as all that. His family, of course, had to go and ruin it. Over the sound of his sister's snort, Elijah's voice was amused and disbelieving as he asked, "Are you truly expecting us to believe such a fanciful story?"

While Kol could understand his brother's reluctance to believe –he himself hadn't at first—his tone still grated. Apparently, Caroline felt the same way.

"I see. A single witch creating a completely new species, almost unkillable, from members of an already existing species is totally realistic. Somehow, though, an entire coven sending back one person two years in time is totally outrageous. Yeah, I can totally see what you mean."

While that seemed to slow Elijah down a bit, Klaus cut in and asked, "As much as I have trusted you so far, sweetheart, what proof do we have beyond your word that this is true?"

As much as Kol found Finn boring and pointless, he was grateful when his oldest brother interceded.

"I saw in her mind myself, Klaus. She's telling the truth."

He could see on Klaus' face that part of him wanted to believe, but he was still fighting it.

"She could have easily manufactured whatever you saw in her mind, Finn." When Finn looked ready to dispute, Klaus continued, "She has witches working with her, brother. They could have helped."

Kol had finally had enough. With a growl, he threw up his hands and joined the argument.

"Why are you fighting this so hard? She's telling the truth. Before they sent her back, I was there." At Klaus' confused look, he corrected himself, "A version of me was there. He made her promise to get my help and tell me everything. He sent her back with a message for me so that I would know."

Klaus no longer looked doubting. Instead he looked curious. Kol braced himself for the coming confession. He decided to try and cover his guilt and nervousness with his usually cocky tone, but he had his doubts that it would work.

"I… he told her about Henrik. When he died, when he begged you to take him to see the werewolves, he had come to me first. I should have told him no, maybe let our parents know what he was up to. Instead, I sent him to you. I don't even know why I did it since I knew you wouldn't be able to refuse him anything."

He braced himself for Klaus' anger. Instead, the anger came from a completely different source.

"Seriously?"

When he looked at her, he could see genuine anger on Caroline's face. Once again, he was caught letting people know things he hadn't intended them to. Perhaps Finn was right about him.

No, that just wasn't possible.

"You were supposed to talk with him months ago! You promised me you were going to. You know what, I don't want to hear another word about things I accidentally forgot to tell you."

Before he could defend himself against her entirely justified anger, Klaus was there with his hand wrapped around the back of Kol's neck. When he screwed up the courage to face his brother, he found compassion where he had expected anger.

"Oh, little brother, I thought you knew. Henrik told me you sent him when he came to ask me. Have you been feeling guilty all this time?"

Kol's first instinct was to deny any such thing. However, he realistically knew that the fact he had held it as such a deep secret that it could be used to convince him of Caroline's story would prove him a liar. He could only nod. It was a weight had been lifted off him and he was left feeling tired yet somehow content.

That feeling stayed with him even as Caroline told the others about the time travel, the differences between the time lines, and exactly what she had planned. It kept him from snapping at Klaus when his brother made snide remarks about her trusting Kol and not him. It even stayed through the half-hearted nagging she gave him over waiting months to finally confess what he'd done to Klaus. Of course, the hug she gave him after probably helped.

He was brought out of his, for lack of better wording, warm and fuzzy haze by the sound of Caroline's sharp voice.

"I don't want to hear a thing from you, Elijah. You had absolutely no right to go behind my back to get my mother. I don't care how 'good' your intentions were, it was not your place."

Going by the condescending look on Elijah's face, Kol knew that Caroline was not going to like whatever came out of his brother's mouth.

"Now, Caroline, your mother had a right to know her daughter was in danger. I think you can agree that I did what was for the best."

At this he looked to her mother as if he expected her to back him up. The sheriff, though, appeared to want nothing to do with it.

"Oh, no. You both can just leave me out of this. I'm not going to be a piece of leverage or a weapon in anyone's argument."

Elijah, shockingly, seemed to accept Elizabeth's word as law and simply bowed his head. Caroline, unsurprisingly, couldn't let it go at that.

"There's going to be no argument because it's the end of the discussion. This doesn't happen again."

Seemingly content that she wouldn't get any further argument from Elijah, Caroline turned and, with her arm hooked in her mother's, left the house. While he did love Elijah, Kol couldn't help being amused by how he had been thoroughly put in his place by the Forbes women.

He felt a firm hand on his shoulder – why did his brothers insist on constantly doing that? —and turned to see Klaus standing beside him. While he didn't look angry, his expression was far from pleased. Kol braced himself to try and stop Klaus from chasing after Caroline then and there, but it proved unnecessary.

"Discretion being the better part of valor, I believe I'll hold off on talking to Caroline until she's had time to cool down. Perhaps tomorrow."

Kol could only hope Klaus had cooled down by then as well. When his brother asked if he would like to talk some more, Kol declined, saying he had a lot to think about first. He could only assume that Rebekah was too overwhelmed to say anything about him thinking since she only trailed a hand down his arm as she quietly passed by him. He vaguely heard Klaus talking to the hybrids and saying something about Caroline probably wanting him to apologize or some such nonsense.

His full attention, however, was centered on the way Finn closed in on an unaware Elijah with an almost malevolently gleeful expression. Given his slight flinch, Elijah didn't hear their brother coming until he spoke uncomfortably close to his ear.

"Let this be a lesson, Elijah. Though Elizabeth may have invited you to her bed, you shouldn't expect Caroline to let you play at being her father. Going by the way she has taken pains to hide your… relationship, dear Liz wouldn't be all that eager for you to, either."

Kol watched in stunned silence as Elijah stormed off, nostrils flaring and jaw clenched, while Finn simply smirked and strolled casually out of the house. He had been out chasing down information from witches, true, but how had he completely missed the fact that Elijah and Caroline's mother were sleeping together?

Dread quickly filled him as he remembered that nothing but tragedy befell those his siblings got too involved with. If something were to happen to her mother, Caroline would be beyond devastated. He wasn't very knowledgeable as to what it meant to be actual friends with someone, but he was sure that protecting the family of your friend was part of it. How the hell was he supposed to protect Elizabeth from his own family, though?

The next day, while Kol was still trying to figure out the best way to deal with the Elijah and Elizabeth situation, Klaus was slowly walking toward Caroline's home. It wasn't that he was stalling, per se, just that he was still trying to figure out his priorities for the impending conversation. There were so many little, inconsequential details he wanted but could live without. There were bigger questions, however, that he felt he needed answered before he could continue.

He still hadn't completely sorted his thoughts out when he reached the Forbes home. It was too late to turn back, however, because Caroline herself was sitting on the porch swing in front of her house and had spotted him. She looked… tired. He slowly took the steps one at a time and then gently leaned against the post, feeling the entire time as if any sudden movements would spook her. Perhaps that was why he only raised his eyebrows in question instead of breaking the silence.

She gave small huff of laughter that made barely a sound as she gestured toward the house.

"My mom and I had a very emotional talk last night. There was crying, some yelling, a lot of apologizing. It's like I can still feel it in there and I just needed to get some fresh air. I've… pretty much been sitting here all morning."

She then shook her head like she was clearing the memories out and then looked at him with a mixture of resignation and humor.

"You're not here to listen to me talk about my family issues, though. You're here to ask all those questions you, for some reason, held off on asking me last night."

With a small smile of acknowledgement, he dipped his head and answered her silent question, "I saw that you were in a less than pleasant mood after your confrontation with Elijah, and decided to wait until you were more… amiable to interrogation."

He counted it as a victory that she didn't grow angry at the mention of his brother, only softly laughed at his phrasing. She stood up and walked past him and crossed to her door to lock it. Turning back toward him, she gave him a large smile that he hoped wasn't completely false.

"I doubt my mom would be in the mood to invite you inside even if she was home, so why don't we go for a walk. I know a park near here that has some great benches and should be just about empty. You can ask whatever you want when we get there, though I can't promise I'll answer everything. I will try, though."

The walk to the park was taken in silence and at a human pace. While Klaus was normally inclined to push for answers as soon as he wanted them, he could be patient when the need arose. He had a feeling that if he pushed, he wouldn't end up getting the whole story. Klaus chose to ignore the small voice in the back of his mind saying he might not like the answers and that was why he was taking his time.

As Caroline had predicted, both the park and the benches she led him to were nearly deserted. She sat down on one end of a bench with her body turned slightly toward the other end where he sat. While she didn't look afraid, she did look a bit nervous.

"I won't insult you by asking if you'll be honest with me, love. I'm going to simply trust that you will."

She didn't appear any less anxious, though she did nod her head. There were so many questions he had – most them trivial and not worth the time it would take to get an answer. The one question he promised himself he wouldn't ask was the one that somehow slipped out. He was relieved that his voice didn't show how confused and hurt he was.

"You knew my blood would cure you, yet you didn't call me for help. You didn't ask anyone else to call me. Why would you do that, sweetheart?"

He was left even more confused when she gave a short huff of laughter that sounded uncomfortably close to a sob.

"God, you just love going for the jugular, don't you?"

She shook her head, he could only assume at the questioning look on his face and continued, "You and I, the other version of you, we were friends. We didn't start out that way, obviously, but somewhere during the near-death experiences, conspiring against each other, and occasionally saving each other's lives, we got there."

Klaus could admit that he was fond of the young vampire, but he couldn't imagine the closeness that her tone of voice implied had been between them.

When she turned to stare into the woods behind him and appeared reluctant to go on, he said, "Forgive me, sweetheart, but that does the exact opposite of explain why you would choose to die rather than call me for help."

He could see the pain on her face and hear it in her voice when she said, without turning to look directly at him, "He risked dying while in a weaker body to save me once. When he was sure that he was dying, I'm the one he called for help. Every time I've needed him, he's been there and if it would have been him that was answering, I would have called for help this time."

She seemed unaware of the tears that spilled down her cheeks, though Klaus couldn't seem to look away from them.

"When I got sent back, it was like having everyone I knew die, but then being forced to live with impersonators who just didn't feel right. I can't mourn their deaths because they're right in front of me, but it's not quite them. Bonnie sent me back, but I was left with a version of her that wasn't even sure she could trust me. I had to find a way to get back to a place where my mom wasn't looking at me like a monster anymore.

"When I saw that bite, I realized that I was going to have to face up to the fact that the version of you that I could trust, that I could always count on…"

With a sniff, she wiped her cheeks and finally looked at him again.

"Asking my friend to save me, only to have to face a stranger in his place, was just one more loss I just couldn't bring myself to face. I was scared, and tired, and I was just weak."

Klaus was faced with a sight he had never seen; a Caroline on the verge of breaking. Not just scared, but looking so lost and alone. He eased slowly closer to her, half convinced that she would bolt if he made any sudden movements. He lifted his hand to run the back of his fingers along her cheek and gave her a small smile.

"Not weak, Caroline. Never that. You've only faltered a bit. But you will recover, of that I have no doubt. In the short time I've known you, I've come to recognize that you are one of the strongest creatures I've encountered. You shall endure and persevere."

She seemed to drawn comfort from his words and closed her eyes as she leaned into his hand. After a moment, she drew back, shook her head, and gave him a bright, if watery, smile.

"Please tell me nothing else you want to talk about is so… painful."

Giving her an understanding smile, he chose to focus on the only other truly important thing he had questions about.

"You told us that you had managed to stop some deaths and lessen the impact of other things. I know you've done your best to save both Kol and Finn, but is there anything else concerning my family or myself?"

Caroline stared at him for a long moment. He got the feeling that she wasn't trying to remember so much as trying to decide how to tell him something. Once again, he decided that not pushing was his best option, and so he waited. She turned to look back into the woods and took a deep breath.

"If something goes wrong, and Silas does manage to get free, we need to be prepared. He can get in your head, make you see and believe what he wants you to. He can read your thoughts, even your deepest little secrets, and he won't hesitate to twist them to turn your friends and family all against you."

When she turned her gaze back on him, she looked as if she was ready for him to explode.

"It's better that they hear the worst from you, and not from him. You need to tell them what really happened to your mother."

He could feel his body tense up as it prepared to lunge at her. He wanted nothing more than to silence the words she had already spoken. It was only a thousand years of learned restraint that kept her alive.

"And were we that close, dear Caroline, that I would tell you this secret? Tell, me, did I whisper it in your ear, under cover of night, like some morbid bit of pillow talk?"

His words were meant to offend, to strike out at her. While she did seem insulted, she also looked as though she had expected him to do something of this nature.

"First, we were never lovers. Second, you didn't tell me. The story's written on the wall of some hidden cave here in Mystic Falls, along with how your family burned down the white oak that was used to create vampires and a hundred years another grew in its place."

Her expression softened, and her voice became more understanding as she continued, "I get why it happened. I know enough about werewolves and hybrids to understand how it could have happened. I also know that Rebekah, Kol, and Elijah forgave you when they found out. Finn… he was ready to kill you all, but that had nothing to do with how your mother died.

"I'm pretty sure he already knows, though. I think he saw it in my head. I don't think he'll suddenly side with Silas, but you'll probably want to tell him first, just in case."

He had been a fool to believe he could have kept it hidden forever. Granted, a thousand years having avoided Mikael somehow telling the others had made it almost seem possible, especially once their father was dead. But he had to face the truth now and risk losing his family. Despite Caroline's reassurances, he still couldn't bring himself to believe he could be forgiven. Part of him really wished that he still had those damnable daggers.

There was nothing really left he wanted to talk about, not after that startlingly painful revelation. And so, much like their walk to the park, they walked back to her home in silence. He couldn't even find it in himself to be amused by the sheriff's distaste at seeing him with her daughter. On another occasion, he may have even brought up her situation with his brother Elijah –the one they foolishly thought they could keep secret— as proof of her hypocrisy. Now, however, he could only nod his head and quietly turn to leave.

He knew he'd have to face his family with what he'd done, even agreed with Caroline that he should approach Finn first, but that didn't stop him from dreading it. When he walked in his home and was greeted by Kol's teasing smile, he decided to put it off. The truth could wait another day.


	5. Cut From the Same Cloth

Caroline was almost surprised when she wasn't further interrogated by the Mikaelsons after her revelation. But here it was, five days after she told them and four days after her talk with Klaus, and she had only really seen Kol and Rebekah. Not to say that she hadn't been busy. Both she and Bonnie were researching on how to use Silas' headstone to draw on Qetsiyah's magic. So far, it looked less like a spell and more like… willpower.

They had both concluded that they weren't going to find any real spell when Sheila came home. She had barely walked through the door, set down her briefcase, and glanced at the piles of books gathered on the coffee table before she was fixing them both with a serious look.

"I met some of the new staff at Whitmore today. One in particular I thought would interest you. They've brought on another professor of the Occult by the name of Atticus Shane." Here, she paused and nodded at the books in front of them, "I hope you found the spell you've been looking for."

Bonnie gave a defeated sigh and answered, "Actually, as far as we can tell, it's not so much a spell as it is a matter of… using your will to tap into the magic."

Glancing at the time on her phone, Caroline realized it was time to head home. Giving an admittedly fake, cheerful smile, she clapped her hands together.

"Well, while I'm gone this week, you two can concentrate on that whole witchy willpower thing."

When Sheila shot her a questioning look, Caroline gave out a huff that even she could admit was a bit over-dramatic.

"I need to head off to pack. Tomorrow, Rebekah and I are headed to Italy because, apparently, that's where she met, fell in love with, and then buried her hunter. I'll be on a private jet with her and probably a small handful of Mikaelson minions for roughly twelve hours."

Bonnie's eyebrows raised and she asked, incredulous, "Exactly how much is she paying for all that?"

Before Caroline could answer, Sheila beat her to it with a droll, "They're thousand-year-old vicious creatures. Do you really think they pay for anything?"

There was little to say after that, so they both hugged her and wished her good luck. The next morning, on the drive to the private airport where Rebekah had "convinced" the owner to let a private jet fly in and out of, Caroline had almost fooled herself into believing that spending so much time with Rebekah wouldn't be the absolute worst. As soon as she parked and got a good look at the jet, however, all that flew out the window.

It wasn't the fact that there were a handful of hybrids and Maddox on the jet – "Klaus believed you would appreciate the help." Klaus' witch said with a smarmy grin – that ruined the trip for her. Mindy was there and, having long since convinced her that she didn't blame her for the accidentally bite, they had become friends. No, it was the smug looks Rebekah shot her as she conversed fluently in Italian over the phone to make sure everything was prepared for their landing. It was also the way Rebekah played the part of the spoiled princess and ordered everyone around. Basically, it was the fact that she needed Rebekah here at all. Finally, when Rebekah had made a snide comment to Mindy out of the blue, Caroline reached her limit.

"Mindy, why don't you take the hybrids into the other room. Maddox, I'm willing to bet you brought everything you need for a privacy spell. Do it, then go join the hybrids."

Where her tone when talking to Mindy had been soft and friendly, it was hard and commanding when talking to Maddox. She had found he seemed to respond best to that. While the hybrids were clearing out and the entire time Maddox was performing his spell Rebekah continued to stare at her with a condescending expression and Caroline, apart from one quick glance to ensure the original was staying, kept her eyes on the magazine that had been sitting beside her. When they were finally alone, she locked eyes with the other blond.

"It's time you got something through your head. You need to stop Silas a whole lot more than we do. We don't really have a lot of people waiting on the other side wanting revenge." Caroline deliberately didn't think about the tomb full of dead vampires that would disagree. "Though, after whining and pouting your way through a thousand years, I'm sure you've collected a lot of dead enemies who would absolutely love the chance to rip you to shreds. That's including the man whose grave we're on our way to dig up."

Standing up, Caroline crossed over to the door. Pausing with her hand on the handle, she turned back to Rebekah who was still sitting in her seat, though now with a shocked expression.

"The spoiled brat routine might fly with your brothers who spend their time either codling or ignoring you, but we're not your family and you haven't given us reason to be your friends. You're stuck down here in the mud and muck with us Princess, and it's time you start realizing it."

Caroline left a silent Rebekah sitting alone in the room while she went to join the hybrids and Maddox. The rest of the flight, while she learned how to play Spades, Rebekah stayed closed up in the other section of the jet. When they landed later that night she didn't seem angry, which Caroline was dreading, but somehow distracted. She kept to herself as they made their way to the hotel Caroline was sure Klaus had been the one to book for them. In fact, it wasn't until they reached the general area of the grave the next afternoon that she bothered talking directly to any of them.

"It's been almost nine hundred years, so I can't be exact, but he's buried somewhere around here. Klaus' pets can be good little puppies and dig around."

Apparently, Rebekah wasn't completely cured of her snotty attitude. It probably would have been too much to expect otherwise. Of course, Caroline wasn't big enough to completely let it go.

"One, rude. Two, I do my best to always work smarter not harder."

Caroline then turned to Maddox who was already waiting with a smirk on his face that she was convinced he thought was charming. When she raised her eyebrows at him, refusing to actually ask him to do something, he bowed his head toward her and then made a big production out of closing his eyes, chanting a few things, and then walking around. Caroline had to wonder how much of that was necessary, and how much of it was him trying to show off. Rebekah seemed to be wondering the same thing.

"It seems Klaus has some competition when it comes to his favorite pet witch's slavish devotion. Whatever will you do with him?"

Caroline didn't pretend she wasn't fully aware of Maddox's interest. It would only make her look like a liar or an idiot, and she didn't feel like giving Rebekah that kind of ammo today.

"Use him when I need him and ignore him when I don't. I've made sure he knows I'm not interested in any of the… extracurricular activities he wants me to join him in."

They watched as Maddox walked an ever-widening circle for what seemed hours until he finally found the area where Alexander's body was buried. When Caroline went to grab a shovel, Mindy beat her there.

"We've got this, Care. You go keep the princess distracted."

Mindy gave a little eye roll when she said the later, and Caroline let out a huff of laughter. Rebekah, for her part, pretended not to hear the exchange. They had been watching the hybrids take turns digging for the hunter with Maddox standing by doing… lord only knows what for about half an hour when Rebekah finally broke the silence.

"I was in love with him, you know. We had been vampires for a little over a century when I met him. There was a church here when I buried him, we were going to be married in it. But he found out what I was and betrayed my brothers and me. My brothers never fail to bring that up whenever I make the mistake of falling in love."

Rebekah turned to her with a bitter and challenging glare, though Caroline could clearly see the shine of tears in her eyes. "This is the part where you say they're right to laugh at me and that I'm pathetic."

As much as she didn't want to, Caroline could see more than a bit of herself in Rebekah right then; always wanting to find love, be accepted and always falling just shy of it. She decided to tell Rebekah what she was constantly trying to believe herself.

"Actually, I think you're pretty damn strong. You were betrayed and hurt, but you haven't let it close you off to love. You still put yourself out there, put your heart on the line. That's pretty damn brave and more than your brothers have managed. It's not really something to laugh at."

Whatever Rebekah would have said in response was cut off by the hybrids finding Alexander's body. After retrieving the sword, out of respect to Rebekah, Caroline asked them to fill the grave back in. Their emotionally revealing moment seemed to have been the extent of Rebekah's desire for conversation. On the trip back to the hotel, even the hybrids seemed subdued. Caroline could only hope that Rebekah didn't regret her sharing and decide to be more difficult one they got back home. Choosing not the dwell on that, Caroline made an early night of it.

Rebekah, on the other hand, spent that night thinking. Eventually, she concluded that, since her family seemed determined to stay in Mystic Falls for the foreseeable future and Caroline was the least objectionable of its inhabitants save for the sheriff, it would make things a lot easier if they were on friendly terms. It would probably also make things easier if she was on speaking terms with the person who was coaching her on how to live in the current times. All of this made her determined to ensure that she and Caroline would be something close to friends. The next morning found her knocking loudly on Caroline's hotel door ready to put her plan into action.

Caroline looked curious though not unwelcoming when she answered. Rebekah took it as a good sign that she didn't even hesitate to accept the lunch invitation, though she did look slightly confused. Their day was relatively pleasant, as was their flight home the next day. Granted, Rebekah wasn't pleased that she was on a long flight with hybrids and Klaus' slimy pet again, but Caroline proved to be a less than terrible companion.

To be honest, as much as she pretended that spending time with Caroline was an arduous task, it was… pleasant having someone to talk to who seemed to _get_ her. Granted, Caroline could be sarcastic and snotty, but she at least understood the importance of the everyday human things that Rebekah's brothers laughed at her for wanting to experience. In fact, Rebekah had considered her attempts at friendship with the girl a success since the weekend after their return was going very well. Right up until Sunday night; specifically, right up until Rebekah had seen Matt Donovan at the school while they were participating in "Senior Prank Night" and asked Caroline about him.

"That little brat had the absolute gall to tell me to 'steer clear' of him. As if she has any right to try and dictate to me who I can be interested in!"

Given Kol's unrestrained laughter, she could tell he took Caroline's side. Of course. She was just about ready to drive something sharp into his heart to cut his amusement short when he calmed enough to speak.

"Unfortunately for Caroline, perhaps you two are very much alike. Dear sister, it's possible she was trying to protect the quarterback. However, she could just as easily be trying to protect you."

Rebekah could only look at him in confusion as he stood up and walked over to her.

"Before she got sent back, in that other time, Caroline had dated him. From the way she described it, he was a perfectly boring and bland suitor. She also had to deal with his minor obsession with the current doppelgänger. Honestly, we get enough of that from Klaus and Elijah."

The last was accompanied by a light tap on her nose before he left the room. As was apparently becoming a worrisome habit of hers, she spent all that night thinking about Caroline. Even as she woke up the next morning, got ready, and headed off to the first day of school, she was still thinking of her. Deciding that enough was enough, she went off in search of the girl. She found her with the youngest Bennett witch and Tati's little clone. Walking up, she deliberately ignored the others in favor of focusing her attention on Caroline. It's not as if she had any need of them.

"After having a conversation with Kol last night, I've come to the conclusion that our argument was a simple misunderstanding. He pointed out that you were not only protecting the human, but also probably looking out for me. After all, I don't need yet another doppelgänger obsessed male in my life."

Caroline seemed to struggle for a moment before she replied, "Kol is… not entirely wrong. A fact of which we should probably make sure he never finds out."

Their shared amusement was interrupted by Elena. "Excuse me, who are you two talking about? Doppelgänger obsessed?"

Turning what she knew to be a condescending smile on the girl –she'd had centuries to perfect it after all— Rebekah said, "Sweetie, not every conversation needs your input."

She could feel her smile turn genuine as she turned back to face Caroline.

"Homecoming. What are your plans?"

Still looking like she was slightly amused, Caroline answered, "Since Bonnie and Elena are going with their boyfriends, I'm going it alone."

Looping her arm through Caroline's, she pulled the other girl along the hall with her, leaving the other two to stare after them in confusion.

"Since neither you and I have suitable companions, we should go together. That way I'll at least know I have someone good looking enough to be there with me by my side."

Rebekah took Caroline's laugh and agreement as a sign that they had managed to overcome the first hurdle in their friendship. Of course, Caroline still turned argumentative at the slightest provocation –Rebekah was simply trying to be helpful when she said Caroline's outfit looked like it belonged on a child—but she seemed willing to forget small things quickly enough. She also took the time to explain things like the "night of illumination" without the snotty eye-roll the doppelgänger aimed at her when she asked why everyone was talking about turning off all the lights the next night.

Thanks in part to their new friendship, it wasn't all that hard to convince Caroline to go with her to a party she had heard some of the football players talking about. Of course, she had to deal with both Bonnie and Elena tagging along. She chose to ignore the strange look that Caroline got at the mention of Tyler Lockwood's name, though she did spend more time that she cared to admit wondering if Caroline had also dated Tyler and if she was simply playing into the football player and cheerleader stereotype. Then, of course she started to wonder if he was another relationship that no longer was thanks to the time travelling. Honestly, she would ask Kol since he seemed to have demanded every detail of the girl's life, but she didn't want to see the smug expression on his face again.

That Friday evening, she and Caroline stood in a clearing the woods with a decent sized crowd, enjoying a party thrown by someone whose name she never bothered to pick up on. There, of course, had been numerous drunken high school boys, and a few college boys, who hit on them both as they stood close to the bonfire. While the actual attempts at seduction were less than pleasant, she did enjoy the game Caroline made of find new and creative ways of turning them down. It was infinitely more entertaining than watching Elena and Stefan or Bonnie and Jeremy make eyes at each other. There were also drunken arguments that could possibly be viewed as entertainment. That was to be expected, or at least Rebekah assumed it was since Caroline seemed to pay them no attention. At least, not at first. And then one argument seemed to draw her eye.

Rebekah caught the moment of panic on her face right before the scream came from just on the other side of the fire. They both rushed over –Rebekah doing so only because Caroline had—but it was too late. One of the college boys that they had talked to earlier, one of the only enjoyable conversations she remembered, lay dead at Tyler's feet, a knife lodged in his heart. Rebekah quickly caught a flash of yellow in his eyes and suddenly she remembered. The Lockwoods had the werewolf gene.

The party seemed frozen in shock. Absolutely no one moved until Caroline took charge. In short order, most of the underage party-goers were dispersed and everyone else stuck around while Caroline called her mother. Quickly enough the ambulance arrived to take away the body and the police were questioning witnesses. Stefan and Elena joined them after their interview, followed shortly by Bonnie and Jeremy. She listened half-heartedly as Tyler told Caroline's mother about the boy attacking him, yelling something about him sleeping with his girlfriend, and the next thing he knew the guy was dead.

As everyone was cleared away, Elizabeth walked over to where they were standing and, looking at Caroline, said, "You look like you think something more is going on here than an accident."

Caroline cast a quick glance around the near-empty clearing before gesturing toward the tree-line. Rebekah was sure they looked suspicious all crowding over by the trees, but no one seemed to be paying attention. When they finally stopped, Caroline looked at her and asked, "Keith, the kid who died, do you remember what he talked to us about?"

To be honest, Rebekah hadn't bothered to remember anything he said as soon as he was away from them. When she told Caroline as much, the younger girl simply nodded her head and turned to her mother.

"A bit after we got here, Keith started talking to us. But he wasn't trying to hit on us because he said he was very much in love with his boyfriend back home."

Caroline put a lot of emphasis on the word "boyfriend" and her mother seemed to get her point about the same time Rebekah did.

"So, you think he was compelled to attack Tyler?"

Caroline looked like she wasn't convinced of that, and said, "He could have been compelled. Then again, Sheila told us Professor Shane just started at Whitmore and he's got some freaky hypno-skills. Maybe he wanted a werewolf he could get to before they became a hybrid and fell under the sire bond."

And just like that, Rebekah was reminded that they weren't sticking around Mystic Falls because of nostalgia. She just really hoped this didn't interfere with her Homecoming plans.


	6. A Compass and a Willing Accomplice

Tyler's mom had been overly accommodating, overly understanding, and had damn near been smothering him all morning. He understood that she was just trying to take care of him, but she had only managed to make him feel claustrophobic. He could feel the guilt churning in his gut and her deliberate avoidance of what had happened only made it worse. He had killed a man.

In his head, he knew it was an accident. The sheriff had said that it was an accident. The growing sense of self-hatred inside of him said he was a murderer. The fact that his genetic werewolf curse had been triggered said it didn't matter; he was fucked either way.

The sound of a car pulling up the front drive snapped Tyler out of his spiraling thoughts. The newness of being able to hear the ticking of the engine after it was turned off and the car doors closing even from deep in the house held him spellbound for an embarrassing amount of time. It was only the clicking of heels coming up the stairs of the front porch that had him cracking open his door out of habit to be able to hear better. He had intended to simply remain in his self-imposed solitary confinement, but he couldn't resist the urge to go down when he heard Caroline Forbes talking to his mother downstairs.

By the time he made it to the foyer, his dad had joined his mom and Caroline. He had heard the argument on his way down the stairs, but was having a difficult time making sense of it.

"This is Lockwood family business, so I'd thank you to stay out of it."

Even the sound of his father's voice sent a rush of anger through him and set his teeth on edge. He was quickly distracted from that anger by the scent coming from Caroline. He couldn't tell if it was just that she wasn't family, or something else, but her scent put him on edge. She smelled… dangerous. The feeling he got from her scent was so strong that he was shocked that her voice was calm and even when she talked to his dad.

"Since Mason left town, I'm the person most qualified to help Tyler out right now."

He wanted to ask her what made her sure she would be able to help him, but his dad was already arguing through his condescending sneer before he could.

"We don't need our son turned into a monster."

Suddenly Caroline wasn't calm. Her look turned cold and cruel and her voice was suddenly hard when she said, "And tell me, what makes a monster, Mayor Lockwood? Is it belittling and humiliating your family? Maybe drowning yourself in alcohol so you can ignore what's happening to your son? Or maybe killing someone at a party. I can tell you, I haven't done any of that, so I'm not the monster around here."

And just like that the guilt was back. He was feeling nauseous and so he barely paid attention as his mother, for the first time in his memory, stood up to his father. He couldn't feel proud or even awed because he was too consumed by the pain of what he had done and that Caroline saw him as a monster. That thought swirled through this head as she led him out through the back door and walked him around the lake.

He couldn't even bring himself to look at her as they rounded the opposite side of the lake and sat down on the stone bench facing his home. He had never really been able to stand silence for very long, and so he found himself speaking up first.

"So, did you actually have something you wanted to talk about, or did you just come to gawk at Mystic Falls' newest monster?"

Suddenly Caroline was animated; she turned her body toward him and her hands came to rest reassuringly on his shoulder and forearm. He could barely understand what she was saying as she stumbled over her words, though he did hear her repeatedly say that he wasn't a monster. His disbelief apparently showed, however, and she quickly jumped up to pace before him for a quick moment before turning to face him. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before opening them and giving him a small, apologetic smile.

"When I get angry, I start talking without thinking. And what I say is not always true or even what I really think. What I said back there, it was said to try and hurt your parents."

At this she walked back to the bench, once again sitting with her body facing him and her hands on his arm. This time, he turned his head to look at her. There were tears in her eyes and she looked like she understood what he was feeling.

"You're not a monster, Tyler. Being a werewolf doesn't make you a monster. And you're not a murderer."

She looked like she was about to say something more, but instead she turned to look back at the house. He couldn't just leave it at that, and so he moved his hand and lightly touched the back of it to hers.

"What is it you're not saying?"

She looked like she was trying to decide if she should say anything, but then turned to him with a determined expression.

"I don't think Keith went after you on his own. He didn't even have a girlfriend, he had a boyfriend."

It only took a second for Tyler to make the connection between what Caroline was saying and things Mason had told him when he let him in on all things supernatural.

"You think maybe a vampire compelled him to come after me? So, either someone wanted me dead or…"

He couldn't bring himself to say it. He hadn't even fully accepted that he was a werewolf yet, and now there was a chance that someone had gone out of their way to make sure his curse was triggered.

He was brought out of his horrific thoughts by the pressure of Caroline's hand on his. He noted in the back of him mind that she felt cool, even more so than everyone else had felt since last night.

"I'm not really sure of anything yet, it's just a feeling. I'll see what I can find out. For now, we need to talk about your options."

He wanted to ask her what options she could be thinking of. Mason had told him there was no cure. No way to stop from changing once a month once you triggered the curse. The only way to control it at all was… He suddenly understood what she was talking about. The thought sent a chill through him and he had the urge to run as fast and as far as he could. He threw himself off the bench to pace where Caroline had just moments earlier.

"I don't want to be a hybrid. It's gonna be bad enough turning hairy once a month. I don't want to add the urge to rip out the throat of the people around me and drink their blood as well."

A second after he said that, he remembered who he was talking to. When he looked at Caroline, however, she didn't look upset or even offended.

"I chose to be this, Tyler. But it's not for everyone. And being a hybrid isn't even the same thing. There's nothing wrong with admitting you don't want to be one. We'll figure something out. I'll do what I can to find Mason but, if I can't, I'll be here to help you through it."

And just like that he felt like maybe it would be all right. He and Caroline talked some more and it became obvious that, given all the plans she laid out, she had put some thought into how to help him. That sense of well-being carried through the rest of the day, through the night, and right up until he made it to the school the next morning. There, he was suddenly reminded that Keith's death hadn't happened in a vacuum. All the other students were staring at him and he could hear their whispers as he passed. Even the teachers were staring, though they looked more sympathetic.

By lunch he was ready to crawl out of his own skin or, at the very least, hop into his car and drive out to the middle of nowhere so he could scream. He had even gone so far as to begin making his way to the parking lot when he heard Caroline calling his name. He turned and saw her sitting at a picnic table with Bonnie, Elena, and Jeremy. Though he wasn't sure about the other three, he couldn't resist the lure of the calm Caroline could provide.

They let him sit quietly while they unpacked their lunches, though as soon as they were all settled and started eating, Bonnie said to him, "Grams and I are working on something for you to take care of the pain next week."

He resisted the urge to snap and, instead, took a shaking breath before responding.

"Yeah, that's right, you're a… a witch."

Turning to look at Jeremy, he asked, "What are you, then?"

He wasn't sure if asking something like that was rude, but Jeremy didn't seem phased. He only gave a smirk and said, "Just human, for now. Oh, and the witch's familiar."

At this he turned and gave Bonnie a wink. Her eyes got wide and she gave an embarrassed laugh, but didn't deny it. Elena, for her part, looked mildly disturbed by whatever images his statement had conjured in her mind. After that, all conversation turned to normal high school bullshitting. Tyler had to admit to himself that he had never been so happy to complain about hard-ass teachers and how ridiculous the homework was. There were occasional glances exchanged that he didn't get, but he felt safe in assuming that was just because they were closer to each other than him.

The next day Bonnie still wasn't sure how to feel about Tyler becoming part of their "club". It wasn't that she didn't like Tyler -his past douchebag behaviors notwithstanding. It was just that they weren't telling him everything. Caroline had said that he had enough to deal with given he'd just accidently killed someone, but it still made it hard to really get close to him while keeping key information from him. She was so on edge from watching everything she said around him that it was a huge relief when he turned down Jeremy's offer to study with them.

Of course, that meant that not much studying got done. Thankfully, her dad was out of town again, so she didn't have to worry about any awkward questions or having to be careful how she acted. It felt wonderful to spend hours just lazily making out with a boy who adored her and who she adored. It felt so good, in fact, that she didn't bother to untangle from him even as she watched him falling asleep in the dark of her room through heavy eyes.

She didn't remember closing her eyes, but when she opened them again she was still in her bed but no longer wrapped around Jeremy. She felt a breeze ghost over her body right before she realized that she was no longer inside. Sitting up she could tell, even in the dark, that her bed was now in what looked to be an ancient Greek garden or temple. Of course, it could have just as easily have been the back of the Mikaelson mansion for all that she could see in the dark. She could make out what looked to be a well or small stone pond a few yards past the end of her bed.

Bonnie heard a soft flutter behind her and turned her upper body enough to see a crow perched on the wrought iron of her headboard. There was no doubt in her mind that it was Eric.

"Hey, there. Haven't seen you in a while."

Without a sound, Eric took flight past Bonnie, forcing her to turn back around to keep him in sight. He landed on the stone edge of the pond. Where the area had been empty just a moment before, she could now see all five of the Mikaelson siblings standing around it, glaring at each other. Her attention, however, was quickly caught by something further beyond them.

Propped up against a column was a full-length mirror. The frame was oval and looked to be made of dark, wrought iron. She couldn't be sure from this distance, but the design on the frame looked familiar. Curious, she quietly got off her bed, trying not to draw the attention of the family locked in a silent argument.

As she rounded the group, she could feel a heaviness in the air that made it difficult to breath. She could feel her heart beat faster as her body reacted instinctively to the danger they presented. She did her best to remain quiet as she sped up her pace to get past them. When she was finally walking away, she could feel the air around her lighten and it was suddenly easier to breathe. She was so focused on her new ease of breathing that it took her a moment to notice that there was someone in the mirror.

"Qetsiyah."

The woman only gave a small smile in acknowledgement. Bonnie saw her glance over her shoulder where she knew the Mikaelsons were still locked in their bitter stances. Her smile turned proud when she looked back at Bonnie.

"You felt that, when you passed them, didn't you? All that betrayal, and guilt, and rage. That volatile emotion, if harnessed properly, would be wonderful fuel for magic. And this is just what I need you to use it for."

She gestured at the frame, and Bonnie took the time to get a good look at it. It was black and ornate, and the design seemed familiar. It wasn't until she noticed the five daggers embedded around the frame and pointed inward toward the mirror itself that she knew why it was familiar.

"You want me to use the daggers to make this mirror?"

As if in answer, Qetsiyah stepped through the mirror as if it were an open doorway. She stepped in close to her and placed her hands on either side of Bonnie's head.

"It's why I had Caroline ask for them. The crow has the spell for you. He's all too happy to help in Caroline's mission. I've instructed your familiar to draw the frame without the daggers. After you've used this family to do the spell, I'll take care of the rest."

Without waiting for an answer, Qetsiyah leaned in to place a kiss on Bonnie's forehead and Bonnie closed her eyes instinctively. When she opened them again, she was laying on her bed back in her room. Hearing the soft flutter of wings, she glanced up at her headboard to see Eric perched there.

"I hope you don't mind, but I raided your kitchen for some fresh fruit for him."

Sitting up, she saw Jeremy sitting on the chair across from her bed, lit by the floor lamp beside him. He gave her a rueful grin and held up the sketch he'd obviously been working on. She could see the beginnings of the mirror Qetsiyah had shown her, though there were empty slots in the drawing where the daggers had been.

"I got a commission from the great beyond. It's gonna probably take me a couple of days to finish it."

As he returned to sketching, Bonnie felt the soft weight of Eric landing beside her on the bed. He gave her a couple of nudges with his head before he flew out through her bedroom door. She got up to follow him, figuring she'd feed him a few more bits of fruit before she called Caroline to see about getting a mirror made.

As she moved to get off her bed, she felt the crinkle of paper under her hand. Looking down, she saw a page that looked to be torn from a grimoire. She carried it with her as she stood up from the bed and walked over the Jeremy. He looked up and quietly accepted her kiss before going back to his sketch once again.

Checking the time and seeing that it was four in the morning, she decided she would also make herself some coffee before she had to deal with a cranky Caroline. As her coffee brewed, she studied the spell that Eric had apparently delivered, feeding him bits of fruit as he demanded them. When she got up to pour herself a cup of coffee, she also grabbed a notepad and pen from one of the side tables in the living room. It wasn't until she had completed her list of supplies that she finally made the call to Caroline who, strangely enough, didn't sound like she had been asleep at all.

"I've been trying to hunt down Mason, but he's almost as good at hiding as Katherine is, apparently. So, what's so important that you couldn't have waited a couple of hours until school to talk about?"

Though it was said without any accusation, Bonnie still felt a bit foolish for calling instead of waiting until she saw her friend.

"Actually, I didn't even think about waiting. Either way, it's not really something I want to be talking about in the middle of the school hallway."

At Caroline's interested hum, Bonnie continued, "I got a visit from Qetsiyah in my dream last night. Jeremy did too. She wants us to use the Mikaelson daggers to build a mirror. She didn't tell me exactly what for, but she had Eric drop off a page with the spell I needed."

Caroline gave an amused snort and interrupted, "I wonder whose book he ripped that from."

Bonnie laughed in agreement, but got back to the reason of her call.

"I was hoping you'd know how to find someone who can build a custom mirror at a decent price."

It really shouldn't have surprised her at this point that Caroline quickly came up with a couple of ideas on how to find someone to build the mirror and how to convince Klaus or Kol to finance it all.

"After all, what's the point of working with ancient vampires with too much money if not to use said money?"

When they ended the conversation, Bonnie quickly made a call to her Grams to talk about picking up ingredients. By the time she was done, it was time for her to get ready for school. She had to spend some time convincing Jeremy that they had a while before Caroline could find someone to build the mirror so he didn't need to have the sketch done within in the next few hours. When all was said and done, she had to bend a few speeding laws to drop Jeremy off at his house make it to class on time, and she found herself longing either for a time before she knew about the supernatural or to be done with Silas and everything surrounding him.


End file.
